"In a major digital overhaul, the AAI plans a ₹15,000 crore investment to modernize air traffic management using artificial intelligence."

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will invest ₹15,000 crore to modernise air traffic control (ATC) systems, with a focus on full automation through artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, AAI Chairman Vipin Kumar said recently.

Speaking at Wings India 2026 in Hyderabad, Kumar said expanding airport capacity while maintaining service quality would be critical to sustaining growth in the aviation sector. He emphasised the need for developing multiple airports to meet rising demand, noting that India’s aviation sector is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.3 per cent, compared with the global average of 3.5 per cent.

Arun Bansal, Chief Executive Officer of Adani Airport Holdings, said the sector continues to face challenges related to policy advocacy, technology adoption and bilateral seat allocation. “We are the slowest in the world in adoption of technology in aviation,” Bansal said, adding that India must prioritise aviation-related manufacturing to emerge as a global aviation hub.

India’s aviation sector is undergoing rapid transformation, with the country targeting the development of a $4 billion Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hub by 2030.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had highlighted the sharp increase in aircraft numbers and the consequent rise in demand for maintenance and repair services, noting that India is developing new domestic facilities to meet these requirements.