The long-stalled plans to privatize Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and Chennai International Airport are reportedly back on the government's agenda following the 2026 assembly elections. This potential revival comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a significant victory in West Bengal and a change in government leadership occurred in Tamil Nadu.
A Decade of Delays and Opposition
Both Kolkata and Chennai airports, currently managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), have been on the privatization list since 2012. However, these efforts consistently faced strong political and union opposition, particularly from the Left and Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The BJP-led central government, which came to power in 2014, continued to explore these plans, even inviting Requests For Qualification (RFQ) for four airports, including Kolkata and Chennai, in December 2024, though no final decision was reached.
National Monetisation Pipeline and Current Status
Currently, 14 Indian airports operate under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) has identified 25 AAI airports for leasing between 2022 and 2025. While the privatization of a "second batch" of airports in 2023 reignited discussions about including Kolkata and Chennai, the government had not made a definitive announcement until recently. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mahan Naidu had even denied reports of Chennai airport's privatization in February 2025, a statement widely interpreted as an election-period tactic given the sensitivity of the issue.
Performance and Rationale for Privatization
Despite the privatization debate, both Kolkata and Chennai airports rank among India's top 10 busiest. Chennai Airport, in particular, showed impressive passenger growth from April-November 2025, outperforming many privately-run airports. AAI has invested significantly in modernizing Chennai Airport, completing Phase I of its expansion to increase capacity from 23 MPPA to 30 MPPA, with Phase II targeting 35 MPPA by December 2026. Kolkata Airport, which celebrated its centenary in 2024, is also slated for major expansion, including a new international facility.
The government's primary rationale for privatization centers on improving efficiency, fostering modernization within the aviation sector, and attracting private capital for infrastructure investment. This approach aims to reduce the financial burden on the public exchequer, especially for airports that might be operating at a loss. A new strategy involves "bundling" metro and non-metro airports for privatization to ensure development across smaller regional hubs as well.
Opposition Concerns
Opposition to privatization, notably from the Left trade union CITU, stems from concerns that private entities would "make undue profit out of public resources." These groups advocate for continued public ownership and management of critical infrastructure.