GMR Group to explore airport opportunities in West Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia

Synopsis

GMR Group chairman G M Rao sees significant international airport opportunities. The company will explore growth in West Asia and Central Asia. Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia also present expansion possibilities. GMR Airports aims to scale up its asset-light portfolio globally. This strategy supports sustainable growth and financial discipline for the group.

New Delhi: GMR Group will explore "significant opportunities" for airports and adjacent businesses in West Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, according to its Chairman G M Rao.

GMR Airports, part of the diversified group, operates six airports in the country, including at Delhi and Hyderabad, as well as an airport in Indonesia. It is also developing an airport in Greece. Its Bhogapuram airport in Andhra Pradesh started operations on August 17.

Rao expressed confidence over the long-term growth prospects of Indian aviation, supported by rising incomes, expanding tourism, increasing penetration of aviation infrastructure and progressive initiatives by the government.

To tap the growth opportunities, the company has scaled up its 'Airport Platform' portfolio by advancing into capital-light airport adjacency businesses such as duty free, cargo, retail, food and beverage.

In his message in the company's annual report for 2025-26, Rao said the group sees a long runway of growth ahead for its portfolio, supported by long residual concession tenures and strong underlying demand fundamentals.

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"Looking ahead, we will continue to pursue new airport concession opportunities while also expanding our presence in asset-light portfolio focused on Operations & Maintenance contracts and airport adjacent businesses, enabling us to drive sustainable growth while maintaining financial discipline," he said.

In 2025-26, its airports in India handled 114.6 million passengers, representing around 25.6 per cent domestic and 33.9 per cent of the international traffic.

Beyond India, the global aviation industry continues to expand, particularly across emerging markets in West Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, Rao said.

"These regions offer significant opportunities for airports and adjacent businesses. While we explore such opportunities, we recognise that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world," he said.

Besides, the group will scale up the 'Airport Platform' businesses to new airports and geographies, leveraging its network, operational expertise and consumer reach.

In 2025-26, GMR Airports recorded a consolidated profit after tax of Rs 472 crore compared to a loss in the year-ago period.