Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu has said the government has not taken any decision on proposals that could allow airport operators such as the Adani Group to enter the airline business. He said the government would examine the potential advantages and concerns before deciding, while emphasizing that India needs more airlines to meet growing demand.
Naidu also said there is no general government rule that completely prevents an airport operator from owning or operating an airline. However, specific contractual restrictions apply to the operators of Delhi and Mumbai airports, which are part of the ongoing discussion around cross-ownership.
The issue comes despite Adani Enterprises stating in July that it was not evaluating any proposal to enter the airline business, calling reports about a planned airline baseless and factually incorrect. Any potential Adani airline should therefore be treated as an issue under discussion rather than a confirmed launch.