India’s skies are crowded, but control is not. India’s airports are expanding, passenger numbers are rising, and demand for air travel continues to grow. On the surface, the aviation sector looks vibrant and competitive. But beneath that growth lies a striking reality.More than 90% of India’s domestic air travel is controlled by just two airline groups: IndiGo and the Air India Group. Every other airline combined operates at the margins.This is not the first time India’s aviation market has ended up here. The pattern has repeated itself for decades. New airlines launch with ambition, price wars follow, external shocks hit, weaker players collapse, and the survivors absorb routes, slots, and customers. What looks like repeated failure is actually the market finding its equilibrium.The numbers behind the duopolyIndia does not officially call this a monopoly. Functionally, however, it operates as a near duopoly. IndiGo controls roughly 64 to 65% of the domestic market. Air India Group holds around 26 to 27%. All other airlines combined account for less than 10%. Carriers like Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and regional airlines continue to operate, but they remain structurally constrained. The real question is not how this happened. The real question is why aviation in… Read MoreYourStory RSS Feed
