IPTS 2025 curtain-raiser roundtable envisions India’s airport infrastructure

A strategy roundtable established the tone for IPTS 2025 by emphasising innovation, technology, and sustainability in airport development.

Influential figures from the government, aviation, and infrastructure industries came together at a high-impact media roundtable organised by Media Fusion LLC in Mumbai ahead of the Inter Passenger Terminal Show (IPTS) 2025. The seminar, titled “Reimagining Airport Passenger Infrastructure through Innovation, Technology, and Sustainability”, provided vital insights into creating smarter, greener, and more future-ready airport ecosystems.

The roundtable brought together a distinguished panel of speakers: Joseph Gouda, Joint Director, Indian Revenue Service; Sumeet Suseelan, Member, Ministry of Civil Aviation (AAC), Government of India; Geetha Priya G, Senior Director & Sector Head – Infrastructure & Airports, JLL India; Nitin Sharma, DVP – Business Development, dormakaba; Vikram Falodiya, Head – Terminal Operations, Navi Mumbai International Airport; Nitin Sharma, DVP – Business Development, dormakaba; and Taher Patrawala, Managing Director, Media Fusion LLC.

The discussion focused on India’s amazing aviation trajectory—now the world’s third-largest domestic market, accounting for 1.5 percent of national GDP and supporting 7.7 million jobs. Over the recent decade, more than 85 airports have been built, with plans to increase that number to 350 by 2047 under the government’s Viksit Bharat initiative. The discussion underlined both the opportunities and the urgency of reshaping infrastructure to accommodate this development.

Key priorities were stated by speakers, including the need to overcome infrastructural gaps, minimise import dependence, and improve regional connections through the UDAN initiative. Strengthening digital ecosystems to tackle escalating cybersecurity concerns was also mentioned as an important area of focus. With over $12 billion already invested in air transport infrastructure, India aims to capture a $4 billion share of the worldwide Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) industry by 2031, with the goal of establishing itself as a self-sustaining aviation centre.

The conversation also highlighted a suite of transformative technologies shaping airport experiences, including biometric-based Digi Yatra, AI-powered digital twins, integrated multi-modal transport systems, and Net Zero, LEED-certified terminals, all of which were cited as critical in creating globally benchmarked, passenger-focused infrastructure.

Reflecting on the evolving airport infrastructure development, Geetha Priya G, Senior Director – Infrastructure & Airports, JLL India, emphasised the need to build infrastructure that is resilient, adaptive and efficient. “Greenfield airports offer the luxury of a blank canvas, while brownfield sites push us to rethink with constraints for unique, smart and adaptive design solutions. The future lies in modular construction and digital-first terminal cores that centralise operations, passenger movement and energy management. Early-stage collaboration is critical—drawing insights from operations, policy shifts, and tech trends helps avoid costly course corrections. We need a terminal design language rooted in sustainability, with built-in readiness for climate volatility, ageing demographics, rapid digital changes and hybrid spaces that can handle intensity and downtime with equal ease. Aligning this vision with financial models that attract private investment is key to delivering infrastructure that’s future-ready and locally responsive.”

Reflecting on India’s growing aviation workforce demands, Sumeet Suseelan, Member, Ministry of Civil Aviation (AAC), highlighted the urgent need to expand training capacity and reform policy. India is fast emerging as a global aviation talent hub, yet faces a significant manpower gap. While pilot eligibility has widened, training for cabin crew and ground staff remains limited to in-house airline programmes. Opening this up to universities and private institutes is key to scaling talent and meeting both domestic and international demand. With inclusive frameworks and the right incentives, India can not only bridge its local workforce shortage but also position itself as a global training destination, strengthening our role in the international aviation ecosystem.”

Taher Patrawala, Managing Director, Media Fusion LLC, reflected on the vision behind IPTS, “While working on Aviation 360, we saw a clear gap—India lacked a dedicated platform for the entire airport ecosystem. The industry had to travel abroad for such events, so we built IPTS to fill that need. From our first meeting with the Adani Group—Vikram, being the first to commit, we’ve had overwhelming support. In just 12 months, we’ve brought together 60+ exhibitors, 50+ speakers from 10 countries, and over 2,800 attendees. IPTS isn’t just another event—it’s a milestone in shaping India’s aviation future, with the long-term vision of becoming a truly global platform.”

Nitin Sharma, DVP – Business Development, dormakaba, highlighted India’s leading role in redefining airport experiences: “India has transformed biometric travel with Digi Yatra, where your face becomes your boarding pass. We’re solving complex challenges—like group travel and one-click gate registration—while ensuring data privacy with automatic purging post-flight. Innovations like wider gates to prevent tailgating, now powered by AI and ML, were born from India’s unique needs and are setting global benchmarks. With under 10 percent of the population currently flying, we’re preparing for exponential growth by scaling smart, cost-efficient technologies. India’s rapid pace of innovation is not only enhancing domestic operations but creating airport solutions the world is now adopting.”

Joseph Gouda, Joint Director, Indian Revenue Services (IRS), highlighted the balance between security and seamless travel: “India’s aviation growth presents a dual challenge—securing borders while easing the journey for millions of law-abiding passengers. In Mumbai alone, we clear 22,000–25,000 international travellers daily, averaging 10-minute customs clearance. We aim to cut this to 5 minutes. By adopting AI, ML, RFID, and advanced passenger information systems, we’re shifting from manual checks to smarter, targeted interventions. This transformation will make our infrastructure both more secure and passenger-friendly—essential for India’s aviation future.”

A spokesperson from Navi Mumbai International Airport spoke on the need for collaboration and policy support to boost air connectivity. They also stressed the urgency of capacity expansion and said, “With surging passenger traffic, cities like Mumbai may need new airports by 2040. Despite the volume, our operational teams perform impressively, and Mumbai ranks high globally for efficiency. India has a real opportunity to transform its aviation ecosystem by 2047.”

Beyond infrastructure, the roundtable discussed the sector’s human dimensions. Topics covered included empowering India’s aviation workers, expanding women’s leadership in terminal design and operations, and establishing a conducive environment for Indian start-ups to contribute significantly to the evolution of airport infrastructure.

The roundtable’s insights and partnerships are expected to inform major debates and announcements at the IPTS 2025, held on June 11 and 12 in Mumbai, which will bring together over 3000 stakeholders in a nationwide effort to rethink India’s airport infrastructure plan.

For more details, visit: https://inter-passengerterminalshow.com/