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What is the story about?
As IndiGo prepares for its next phase of growth, the airline is looking beyond carrying Indian travellers overseas. Its longer-term ambition is to make India a transit hub connecting passengers from around the world. But what does that mean, and can India realistically compete with established aviation hubs such as Dubai, Singapore and Doha?
For nearly two decades, IndiGo's success has been built on one simple idea: connect India's cities better than anyone else.
Now, after establishing the country's largest domestic network, the airline wants to move to the next stage of its evolution—using India as a bridge between the East and the West.
Speaking exclusively to CNBC-TV18, Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of InterGlobe Aviation, said the airline's immediate priority is to connect India more directly with international destinations before eventually carrying passengers who are merely transiting through the country.
"I think IndiGo's journey over the last 20 years was all about building an extensive domestic network. We are not finished doing that. We will continue to do that. That will remain the core of the airline."
"But having built this network, the next logical step is really to take Indians to the world and bring the Indian diaspora that resides in other parts of the world to India."
The ambition reflects a broader shift taking place in Indian aviation, as domestic carriers seek a larger share of international traffic.
What is a global aviation hub?
An aviation hub is an airport where airlines consolidate passengers arriving from multiple destinations before connecting them onwards to other parts of the world.
Instead of operating only direct point-to-point flights, airlines use a hub-and-spoke model.
For example, a traveller flying from Kochi to London may first fly to Delhi or Mumbai before boarding a long-haul international flight. The domestic flight feeds passengers into the international service, allowing airlines to operate larger aircraft more efficiently.
The same model works internationally.
A passenger travelling from Europe to Australia may change planes in Dubai, Singapore or Doha, even if neither the journey begins nor ends there.
These airports have become some of the world's busiest because they serve as connecting points rather than just destinations.
Why does IndiGo think India is ready?
India has one advantage that many global hubs do not—a vast domestic aviation market.
Every day, millions of passengers travel between Indian cities, creating a steady flow of travellers who can connect to international flights.
According to Bhatia, IndiGo's extensive domestic network provides the foundation for international expansion.
"We are well-positioned to do that because of the domestic network. We are able to collect people into a hub and then fly them on bigger planes to other parts of the world."
In practical terms, this means passengers from dozens of smaller Indian cities could travel via Delhi, Mumbai or another major airport before boarding long-haul flights to Europe, North America or Asia.
The next ambition goes beyond Indian travellers
While carrying Indian passengers abroad is the immediate objective, IndiGo's longer-term vision is much broader.
Once India's airport infrastructure matures, the airline wants to compete for international transit passengers who have no connection with India other than changing planes.
"There will come a time in the future, once airport hubs mature, when we will carry customers from one geography to another through India."
"They don't necessarily have to be Indian customers. For example, somebody travelling from the UK to Australia."
This represents one of the biggest shifts in IndiGo's strategy since the airline was founded.
Instead of relying solely on India's outbound and inbound travel demand, it wants to compete for global connecting traffic.
Why has India lagged behind?
Despite being one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, India has historically captured only a limited share of international connecting traffic.
Many passengers travelling between India and overseas destinations continue to fly via foreign hubs operated by airlines based in the Gulf or Southeast Asia.
According to Bhatia, this has resulted in economic value flowing outside India.
"That's something which... was handed over to airlines based outside this country."
"With that came a significant export of economic wealth from this country to airlines that don't reside here but were carrying Indian passengers."
He believes Indian airlines now have an opportunity to reclaim a larger share of this market.
"I think there's an immense responsibility on our part as IndiGo, and on the part of airlines like Air India, to bring all of that back."
What will IndiGo need to succeed?
Building an international hub airline requires more than adding overseas destinations.
Airlines need:
IndiGo has already begun expanding beyond its traditional short-haul operations by introducing long-range aircraft into its fleet, with more wide-body aircraft expected over the coming years.
Can India rival Dubai or Singapore?
India's geography offers an advantage.
The country sits between Europe, the Middle East and East Asia, making it well placed to serve as a connecting point for flights between continents.
However, geography alone is not enough.
Successful aviation hubs depend on efficient airports, fast passenger transfers, competitive airline economics and consistent operational reliability.
Countries such as the UAE, Singapore and Qatar have spent decades building integrated aviation ecosystems where airports, airlines and government policies work together to attract transit passengers.
India is now attempting to build a similar ecosystem as airport capacity expands across major cities.
The road ahead
IndiGo's ambitions reflect how India's aviation industry is evolving.
The airline is no longer focused only on carrying passengers within India. Its next objective is to strengthen international connectivity for Indian travellers before eventually competing for global transit traffic.
Whether India ultimately joins the ranks of the world's leading aviation hubs will depend not only on airlines, but also on airport infrastructure, policy support and the broader competitiveness of the aviation ecosystem.
For IndiGo, however, the direction is clear: build on its domestic strength to make India a more important gateway for international air travel.
For nearly two decades, IndiGo's success has been built on one simple idea: connect India's cities better than anyone else.
Now, after establishing the country's largest domestic network, the airline wants to move to the next stage of its evolution—using India as a bridge between the East and the West.
Speaking exclusively to CNBC-TV18, Rahul Bhatia, Managing Director of InterGlobe Aviation, said the airline's immediate priority is to connect India more directly with international destinations before eventually carrying passengers who are merely transiting through the country.
"I think IndiGo's journey over the last 20 years was all about building an extensive domestic network. We are not finished doing that. We will continue to do that. That will remain the core of the airline."
"But having built this network, the next logical step is really to take Indians to the world and bring the Indian diaspora that resides in other parts of the world to India."
The ambition reflects a broader shift taking place in Indian aviation, as domestic carriers seek a larger share of international traffic.
What is a global aviation hub?
An aviation hub is an airport where airlines consolidate passengers arriving from multiple destinations before connecting them onwards to other parts of the world.
Instead of operating only direct point-to-point flights, airlines use a hub-and-spoke model.
For example, a traveller flying from Kochi to London may first fly to Delhi or Mumbai before boarding a long-haul international flight. The domestic flight feeds passengers into the international service, allowing airlines to operate larger aircraft more efficiently.
The same model works internationally.
A passenger travelling from Europe to Australia may change planes in Dubai, Singapore or Doha, even if neither the journey begins nor ends there.
These airports have become some of the world's busiest because they serve as connecting points rather than just destinations.
Why does IndiGo think India is ready?
India has one advantage that many global hubs do not—a vast domestic aviation market.
Every day, millions of passengers travel between Indian cities, creating a steady flow of travellers who can connect to international flights.
According to Bhatia, IndiGo's extensive domestic network provides the foundation for international expansion.
"We are well-positioned to do that because of the domestic network. We are able to collect people into a hub and then fly them on bigger planes to other parts of the world."
In practical terms, this means passengers from dozens of smaller Indian cities could travel via Delhi, Mumbai or another major airport before boarding long-haul flights to Europe, North America or Asia.
The next ambition goes beyond Indian travellers
While carrying Indian passengers abroad is the immediate objective, IndiGo's longer-term vision is much broader.
Once India's airport infrastructure matures, the airline wants to compete for international transit passengers who have no connection with India other than changing planes.
"There will come a time in the future, once airport hubs mature, when we will carry customers from one geography to another through India."
"They don't necessarily have to be Indian customers. For example, somebody travelling from the UK to Australia."
This represents one of the biggest shifts in IndiGo's strategy since the airline was founded.
Instead of relying solely on India's outbound and inbound travel demand, it wants to compete for global connecting traffic.
Why has India lagged behind?
Despite being one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, India has historically captured only a limited share of international connecting traffic.
Many passengers travelling between India and overseas destinations continue to fly via foreign hubs operated by airlines based in the Gulf or Southeast Asia.
According to Bhatia, this has resulted in economic value flowing outside India.
"That's something which... was handed over to airlines based outside this country."
"With that came a significant export of economic wealth from this country to airlines that don't reside here but were carrying Indian passengers."
He believes Indian airlines now have an opportunity to reclaim a larger share of this market.
"I think there's an immense responsibility on our part as IndiGo, and on the part of airlines like Air India, to bring all of that back."
What will IndiGo need to succeed?
Building an international hub airline requires more than adding overseas destinations.
Airlines need:
- A large domestic feeder network.
- Modern airport infrastructure with efficient transfers.
- Wide-body aircraft capable of operating long-haul routes.
- Reliable on-time performance.
- Competitive operating costs.
- Strong international partnerships.
IndiGo has already begun expanding beyond its traditional short-haul operations by introducing long-range aircraft into its fleet, with more wide-body aircraft expected over the coming years.
Can India rival Dubai or Singapore?
India's geography offers an advantage.
The country sits between Europe, the Middle East and East Asia, making it well placed to serve as a connecting point for flights between continents.
However, geography alone is not enough.
Successful aviation hubs depend on efficient airports, fast passenger transfers, competitive airline economics and consistent operational reliability.
Countries such as the UAE, Singapore and Qatar have spent decades building integrated aviation ecosystems where airports, airlines and government policies work together to attract transit passengers.
India is now attempting to build a similar ecosystem as airport capacity expands across major cities.
The road ahead
IndiGo's ambitions reflect how India's aviation industry is evolving.
The airline is no longer focused only on carrying passengers within India. Its next objective is to strengthen international connectivity for Indian travellers before eventually competing for global transit traffic.
Whether India ultimately joins the ranks of the world's leading aviation hubs will depend not only on airlines, but also on airport infrastructure, policy support and the broader competitiveness of the aviation ecosystem.
For IndiGo, however, the direction is clear: build on its domestic strength to make India a more important gateway for international air travel.
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