Story ID: 040
India’s Business Aviation Blind Spot—FBOs
By: Neelam Mathews
Caption: FBO development lagging operational growth
Word Count: 837
India’s business aviation sector continues to grow, yet its support ecosystem has remained underdeveloped and held back by systemic inertia rooted in siloed regulation under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the absence of a unified FBO policy.
India ranks third in the Asia-Pacific region for general aviation, with a fleet of more than 550 privately operated aircraft—over 75% of which are preowned. Used by high-net-worth individuals, celebrities, charters, and corporations, they serve luxury and business travel needs.
“India’s skies are booming. In the past four years, India’s private jet registrations surged by nearly 25%, and monthly private flights have tripled to over 2,400, the highest in Asia,” said Rohit Kapur, managing partner of The Jet Company for aircraft transactions and aviation consulting services. Kapur added that the market was growing between 3% and 5%, which is not huge but signals a trajectory.
The DGCA’s June 2025 rollout of International Civil Aviation Organization-aligned audit reforms signals a move from fragmented oversight to integrated, risk-based governance. Standardized licensing and clearer service norms aim to boost regulatory coherence and attract investment. Sector-wide FBO alignment—standardizing operations, infrastructure, and service delivery—is expected over 12 and 24 months, depending on entity maturity and enforcement pace.
However, India’s FBO footprint is sparse, with fewer than 10 full-service facilities nationwide. Upcoming greenfield airports in Delhi and Mumbai have yet to begin GA terminal construction. A financial analyst told AIN that high commercial demand and steep costs—deposits and rentals exceeding $567,000—have made FBO viability “impossible” at these airports.
Indira Gandhi International Airport (VIDP) in Delhi hosts two FBOs—Indamer MJets and Bird Delhi General Aviation Services (BDGASPL). Bird’s 2005 joint venture with ExecuJet Aviation was rebranded following ExecuJet’s quiet exit post-2019, reportedly driven by legal challenges, shifting partnerships, and Luxaviation’s global strategy reset. “Foreign exits undermine investor confidence and disrupt delivery of global-standard services, exposing persistent regulatory and infrastructure gaps,” said Rajeev Gupta, CEO of Indamer Aviation.
In January, GMR Airports acquired a 49% stake in BDGASPL for $1.8 million, enabling Bird to leverage airport operator alignment and gain operational access and future expansion.
At VIDP, ranked as the ninth busiest airport in the world, Indamer MJets is part of a broader network that includes Indamer Technics, 50% owned by Adani Defence & Aerospace, linking to a 30-acre MRO hub in Nagpur. It operates a $20 million FBO featuring two 32,000-sq-ft hangars with luxury lounges, six private rooms for clients designed to prioritize confidentiality over open lounge formats, crew and customs areas, and integrated immigration facilities. It also offers MRO services for Bombardier, Embraer, and Leonardo aircraft.
MJets at Don Mueang, Bangkok, was voted Asia’s best FBO and fourth best in the Eastern hemisphere by AIN in 2021.
BDGASPL operates two enclosed MRO hangars, each spanning 21,500 sq ft, with an additional 50,000-sq-ft apron for minor maintenance. The hangars accommodate six to eight midsize business jets, providing services to the Gulfstream IV, Hawker series, Cessna Citation, Beechcraft King Air, and Piaggio Avanti.
With just over 800 movements a month, Kapur said two FBOs were not required in Delhi. “Indian users of private jets are price-conscious and not happy to bear extra-large costs if they are fast-tracked. Monthly service pricing for a Delhi FBO typically ranges from $14,000 to $22,000 for midsize jets. Peak-hour surcharges, security fees, and infrastructure charges regulated by VIDP and AERA (Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India) further elevate costs.
RK Bali, managing director of the Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA), however, felt there should be three FBOs at the airport because the Competition Commission mandates it.
Bali explained that the master plan for regional FBOs has not been cleared yet. The “Viksit Bharat,” a roadmap to making India a developed nation by 2047, would bring in immense changes for business aviation. “By that time, Delhi will have more than 100 flights a day.” Already, he added, regional airports such as Lucknow, Kanpur, and Allahabad had plans for FBOs. An official told AIN that development with such projects had a lot to do with proactive state governments.
“We do not need fancy glittering GA terminals that charge heavily for parking and landing. The industry requires small independent terminals like Le Bourget, where customers do not have to bear the cost of a large airport infrastructure structured for commercial aviation. That is the need for business aviation,” said Kapur.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (VANM) has added 23 dedicated stands for private jets and general aviation. Notices have been issued to aircraft owners at the current—also Adani-owned—Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, directing them to relocate to VANM’s new facilities, Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal told AIN.
Bali cautions: “With both Mumbai airports owned by Adani Aviation, BAOA will need to keep an eye on the possibility of slight monopolistic tendencies. Or the trend could catch up with future FBOs.”