Engineering the Backbone of Modern Aviation - ABB at the Navi Mumbai International Airport
By enabling stability, efficiency, and long-term scalability, ABB’s technologies help the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) in its journey to become a global future focused hub.
Web Story
5min
2026-03-09
India’s aviation landscape reached a defining milestone with the inauguration of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), one of the country’s most ambitious infrastructure projects and a transformative step in its journey toward becoming a global connectivity powerhouse.
Inaugurated on 8 October 2025 by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with commercial operations commencing on 25 December 2025, the airport fulfils Mumbai’s long-standing need for a second international gateway. The new airport is expected to play a major role in establishing the region as Asia’s largest connectivity hub.
Given the complexity of this landmark project, ABB is proud to be a part of its technological foundation.
Spanning 1,160 hectares, NMIA complements the existing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), initially handling 20 million passengers per annum (MPPA) and designed to scale up to 90 MPPA once all three interconnected lotus-shaped terminals are completed.
How does NMIA engineer the future?
<p>NMIA has been built to serve not just today’s needs, but decades of future growth.</p>
Runway Infrastructure
<p>The airport currently operates a 3,700-meter runway, enabling landings at visibility levels up to 300 meters. Plans for two parallel runways will allow simultaneous operations.</p>Passenger Experience
<p>The lotus-inspired terminal design integrates cultural identity with modern efficiency. Once complete, the three interconnected terminals will collectively handle up to 90 million passengers annually. </p>Cargo and Economic Connectivity
<p>The domestic cargo terminal spans 33,000 square meters, while the international cargo terminal covers 23,700 square meters. In its first phase, the airport can handle 0.8 million tonnes of cargo annually.</p>Smart Airport Infrastructure: How do ABB’s Power and Drive solutions help?
While the airport’s architecture captures attention, its uninterrupted operations depend on robust and reliable electrical infrastructure. This is where ABB plays a vital role.
It powers this landmark project with a comprehensive range of medium-voltage products and low-voltage packaged drives, ensuring safe and reliable power distribution across the airport’s critical infrastructure and efficient cooling.
Comprehensive Power Distribution
ABB’s solutions span key operational zones, including receiving substations, distribution substations, central utility plant and an air traffic control block.
A total of 156 advanced electrical panels and 180 ACH580 packaged drives have been installed, forming the electrical backbone of the airport and strengthening the airport’s critical building services infrastructure.
These systems ensure:
- Continuous power supply to mission-critical operations
- Efficient cooling and climate control across terminals
- Reliable operation of navigation and control systems
- Enhanced safety and operational resilience
In a facility of this scale, even a momentary disruption can have cascading operational impacts. ABB’s technologies are designed to deliver stability, efficiency, and long-term scalability -essential qualities for an airport poised to become a global hub.
Enabling Sustainable Growth
<p>Sustainability and efficiency are integral to NMIA’s vision. ABB’s drive technologies contribute to energy optimization by enabling precise motor control and reducing energy consumption in cooling and utility systems.</p> <p>By ensuring efficient power management across substations and utility plants, ABB supports not only operational reliability but also long-term environmental performance.</p> <p>As the airport scales from 20 MPPA to 90 MPPA, this robust electrical architecture will continue to support expansion without compromising performance or efficiency.</p>
“As India builds the next generation of airports, performance expectations are rising, not just in passenger experience, but in energy efficiency and operational resilience. Intelligent, energy-efficient building systems will be fundamental in shaping infrastructure that is sustainable, reliable, and built for long-term performance, as demonstrated in this landmark aviation project”
- AR Madhusudan, Business Line Manager, Drive Products, ABB India.
Powering India’s Connectivity Future
As NMIA positions Mumbai and the wider region as Asia’s next major connectivity hub, ABB is proud to contribute to a project that strengthens India’s aviation landscape, empowers economic growth, and sets new benchmarks for infrastructure excellence.