The Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) gave in-principle approval on 4 August 2026 to India's third round of airport privatisation. The plan covers 11 airports run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), grouped into five bundles for private operators on 50-year concessions. The Ministry of Civil Aviation moved the proposal, which estimates at least ₹8,622 crore in private investment across the bundles.
About the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC)
What it is: PPPAC is the Union Government's standing body that appraises Central Sector PPP proposals before they go to bidding.
Role here: It examined and gave in-principle clearance to this plan; the plan now goes through a market-sounding exercise before a final PPPAC recommendation and Cabinet clearance.
About India's Airport Privatisation Programme
What it is: The government's phased effort to hand AAI-run airports to private concessionaires on long-term contracts.
Third round: This is the third such round, after Delhi and Mumbai in 2006 (to GMR and GVK) and six airports in 2019 (all won by the Adani Group).