NMIA to boost investment, cut logistics costs for western industries
The airport's most significant impact lies in cargo and logistics.;
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 October inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), a greenfield airport developed as a Public-Private Partnership between Adani Airport Holdings (AAHL) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).
This new airport is designed to transform air connectivity in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Western India by operating as a dual-airport system alongside the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).
NMIA launches with an initial capacity of 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and is planned to eventually expand to handle 90 MPPA, making it one of India's largest passenger hubs.
It will feature two parallel runways, state-of-the-art terminals inspired by the Lotus, and sustainable infrastructure incorporating renewable energy sources.
Logistic and connectivity
Beyond passenger travel, the airport's most significant impact lies in cargo and logistics. The initial phase includes capacity for 0.5 million metric tonnes of cargo annually.
NMIA introduces several modern features to boost India’s trade ecosystem, including a fully automated cargo terminal with AI monitoring designed to cut turnaround time by 40%.
The PM said, “The new airport would directly link Maharashtra's farmers to the international supply chain, encompassing supermarkets in Europe and the Middle East. This initiative will enable the swift global distribution of their freshest produce, including fruits, flowers, vegetables, and seafood products.”
He also highlighted that this infrastructure would lower logistical costs for small and micro-scale industries in the region. The airport is expected to attract more investment, stimulating the growth of new industries and businesses.
It will also house a Pharma Excellence Centre with GDP-compliant cold zones and a dedicated perishable cargo village. Crucially, the airport's proximity (20 km) to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) creates an integrated logistics cluster for sea-air transshipment, offering a dual-engine strategy to support the agriculture and pharmaceutical sectors.
Designed as a multimodal hub, NMIA will be seamlessly connected to the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu)—offering a 20-minute link from South Mumbai—along with the Navi Mumbai and Mumbai Metro and suburban rail networks.
This connectivity, spanning 1,160 hectares near Panvel, will ease pressure on CSMIA while extending air access to Thane, Pune, Raigad, and the Konkan belt, attracting increased investment and reducing logistical costs for small and micro-scale industries in the area.