Adani Airports emerges as world's third most valuable airport operators after $1 billion fundraise

Billionaire Gautam Adani's airport company is set to rank among the world's most valuable airport operators after securing about USD 1 billion in fresh equity from a group of global and domestic investors, including Temasek, BlackRock-managed funds, Alpha Wave Global and Premji Invest.

The transaction values Adani Airports Holdings at about USD 18 billion before the investment. With the new capital, the implied post-money equity value is approximately USD 19 billion, putting the Indian airport operator around third globally among major listed and recently valued airport operators, behind Spain's Aena and Airports of Thailand on the basis of equity value, according to market research analysts cited by news agency PTI.

The comparison, however, may not strictly be like-for-like because Aena and Airports of Thailand are publicly traded companies, while Adani Airport Holdings is privately held within Adani Enterprises.

Investors to acquire 5.54 per cent stake

Under the agreements, the investor consortium will acquire newly issued shares in Adani Airport Holdings in three tranches and will collectively hold about 5.54 per cent once the transaction is completed. The final tranche is expected by July 2027, according to a company statement.

The capital will be used to expand and modernise Adani's airport network, develop airport-linked commercial infrastructure and scale businesses such as ground handling and passenger services. The company aims to increase its annual airport capacity to about 200 million passengers.

Adani Airports expands global standing

Adani Airports operates eight airports, including Mumbai International Airport, and accounts for roughly a quarter of India's passenger traffic and about a third of its air-cargo volumes. The expansion has made it India's largest airport operator by number of airports, although GMR remains larger by passenger volumes handled.

The valuation puts Adani Airports ahead of several major listed global operators. Aena, Spain's airport operator, has a market capitalisation of about USD 46 billion, while Airports of Thailand is valued at about USD 27 billion, according to analysts. Groupe ADP, which operates Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly, has a market value of roughly USD 13 billion. These public-market values fluctuate with share prices.

GMR Airports is worth about USD 10.9 billion and ranks ahead of Shanghai Airport (USD 8.8 billion).

Airport expansion to include commercial projects

The deal also underscores the growing investor interest in India's airport infrastructure as passenger demand expands. Adani Airports plans to develop about 22 million square feet of mixed-use projects in the first phase of its airport-city developments, adding commercial and real-estate revenues to its aviation business.

The fundraising follows a Rs 15,000 crore qualified institutional placement by Adani Enterprises in July, and comes as the group increases investment across infrastructure and other businesses. Adani Enterprises will retain control of the airport subsidiary after the transaction.