India plans to add 50 new airports over the next five years, creating significant opportunities for the country’s real estate sector, K Rammohan Naidu, the Civil Aviation Minister, said on Friday.
Describing airports as the “scaffolding” for real estate development, he highlighted efforts to address building height restrictions near airports while maintaining aviation safety standards.
India is among the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, with 165 operational airports. On average, a new airport or terminal is inaugurated every 33 days, Naidu noted during his address at the National Urban and Real Estate Development Conclave 2026, organised by industry body Naredco in New Delhi.
The minister emphasized that India’s real estate sector is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030 and grow further to $5–7 trillion by 2047. He underlined the importance of balancing quality of living with standards of living in development projects, linking well-planned housing with broader well-being, particularly amid air pollution challenges.
Naidu also stressed the need to focus on rental housing and create projects that can be rented by young professionals, highlighting the sector’s potential to meet evolving urban needs.
