The government of India is considering handing over Chennai and Kolkata airports to private companies under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model through long-term leases. The proposed move aims to upgrade airport infrastructure, improve passenger services and bring operations closer to international standards. The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation is examining the proposal, which could add the two airports to the list of major Indian airports managed by private operators, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Under the proposed arrangement, private companies would manage day-to-day operations, shops, restaurants and infrastructure development. However, air traffic control and security would remain under the direct control of the Centre, according to sources in Delhi.

The proposal comes amid growing calls for improved airport infrastructure and passenger services. The Tamil Nadu government has long pushed for better service quality, improved passenger facilities, increased air traffic capacity and stronger cargo handling capabilities at Chennai Airport.

What Could Change for Passengers?

Private participation could bring fresh investment, improved terminal facilities and more efficient airport operations. Passengers could benefit from better seating, cleaner washrooms, upgraded baggage systems, improved food and retail options, and faster check-in and security processes.

For Chennai Airport, additional infrastructure capacity could also help address operational bottlenecks and improve passenger movement. Better cargo facilities and airside infrastructure could support the airport's ability to handle growing traffic. However, these improvements are not guaranteed. The overall benefits would depend on the investment commitments, operational standards and service requirements included in the final agreement.

Will Airport Charges and Retail Prices Increase?

One of the major concerns surrounding airport privatisation is its potential impact on passenger expenses. Airport charges, including the User Development Fee (UDF), are subject to regulatory oversight, while airport-related costs can also influence airline operating expenses and, in turn, ticket prices.

Private operators may also look to increase revenue through restaurants, cafés, retail outlets, parking and other commercial services. While this could introduce more brands and improve the shopping and dining experience, higher commercial rents and concession fees could push up prices for passengers.

The impact on businesses operating inside the airports could also vary. Established brands may benefit from better retail spaces and increased passenger spending, while local food businesses and smaller retailers could face challenges if rents and contract terms favour larger operators.

Balancing Investment with Passenger Interests

The success of the proposed PPP model will depend on how effectively passenger interests are protected alongside commercial objectives. Clear service standards, transparent airport charges, reasonable prices for essential food and travel items, and regular passenger satisfaction reviews could help ensure that infrastructure improvements translate into real benefits. Providing opportunities for local food brands, retailers and cultural businesses could also help Chennai Airport showcase Tamil Nadu's identity while supporting smaller enterprises.

Ultimately, private participation could improve Chennai and Kolkata airports, but better facilities should not come at an unreasonable cost to travellers. The key test will be whether passengers experience shorter queues, improved services and better infrastructure without facing disproportionate increases in airport fees and retail prices.

India’s tourism industry is preparing for a significant expansion. Hotels are entering new markets, pilgrimage destinations are attracting investment, and wellness tourism, meetings and conferences, and experiential travel are widening the industry’s scope. But there is a problem beneath this growth story: who will be available to deliver these experiences?

According to a September 2026 report by CBRE Research, India’s tourism industry could face a shortfall of approximately 11 million workers by 2035. The report identifies gaps in specialised skills, employee retention and training capacity, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

The projection raises a question for an industry focused on expansion: is workforce development keeping pace with the creation of new hospitality infrastructure?

More Hotels, But Where Are the People?

The challenge extends beyond recruiting front-office executives, chefs and housekeeping staff. As tourism diversifies, the industry needs people trained for specialised roles in wellness, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions), cruise tourism and guided heritage experiences. These segments require capabilities that may not be adequately covered by conventional hospitality training programmes. 

Geography adds another complication. Hotel development is increasingly moving into smaller cities and emerging destinations, while much of the established training infrastructure remains concentrated in traditional centres. This creates a mismatch: new properties may open in locations where the local talent pool is not yet equipped to meet their staffing requirements.

For hotel owners, the implications are practical. Recruitment can take longer, training costs can rise, and service consistency can become harder to maintain. In an industry where guest experience depends heavily on frontline employees, staffing is not simply an HR concern; it can influence operational performance and a property's reputation.

Why Is Hospitality Struggling to Retain Talent?

The problem is not only about producing more trained workers. It is also about keeping them in the industry.

The CBRE report identifies long working hours, modest pay and perceptions of limited career prospects as factors pushing trained employees towards other sectors, including aviation, retail and business process outsourcing.

This presents hospitality businesses with a difficult cycle. Hotels invest in training employees, but when working conditions, compensation or career progression fail to meet expectations, those employees may leave. Businesses must then spend more time and resources recruiting and training replacements.

Can the industry close its skills gap through training programmes alone if the working conditions that influence retention remain largely unchanged?

The question becomes more significant as operators expand into markets where experienced hospitality professionals may already be scarce.

Is Training Keeping Pace With Expansion?

Policy initiatives offer a starting point. CBRE's report highlights proposals under the Union Budget 2026–27 to upgrade the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology into a National Institute of Hospitality, alongside a pilot programme to train 10,000 tourist guides across 20 iconic tourist sites.

However, the scale of the projected workforce gap calls for coordination between educational institutions, hotel operators and policymakers. Training must reflect the skills businesses actually need, reach emerging hospitality markets and offer career pathways that encourage employees to stay.

For hotel companies, this could mean strengthening internal training, developing local recruitment pipelines and making progression from entry-level roles to supervisory and management positions more visible.

India's tourism opportunity is substantial, but expansion alone will not guarantee better guest experiences or sustainable business performance.

If the industry is building more hotels and creating new tourism destinations, workforce planning must become part of that expansion strategy—not a problem to solve after the doors open.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed new restrictions on added sugars in food products intended for infants up to six months of age. The move aims to strengthen infant nutrition standards and ensure that products meet the nutritional needs of babies during their crucial early stages of growth and development.

The draft Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Amendment Regulations, 2026, was published in the Gazette of India on 16 October 2026. It proposes to prohibit the addition of sucrose and fructose to products intended for infants up to six months old.

Under the existing Food Safety and Standards (Foods for Infant Nutrition) Regulations, 2020, nutritional composition, quality and safety standards are prescribed for different categories of infant nutrition products intended for children from birth to 24 months of age. The current provisions identify lactose and glucose polymers as preferred carbohydrate sources, while allowing sucrose and/or fructose to be added when required as a carbohydrate source, subject to prescribed limits.

The proposed amendment seeks to introduce a specific restriction for products intended for younger infants. The draft provision states that "sucrose and fructose shall not be added in the products intended for infants up to the age of 6 months".

The proposal focuses on reducing unnecessary exposure to added sugars during early infancy, when proper nutrition plays an important role in brain development, immunity and physical growth. Early exposure to sweetened products may also influence taste preferences and eating habits as children grow.

The initiative aligns with wider public health efforts to encourage appropriate infant feeding practices and reduce dietary risk factors associated with childhood obesity and other health concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life where feasible and recommends that children under two years of age should not consume foods or drinks containing added sugars.

Unlike a labelling change that asks parents to identify and avoid certain ingredients, the proposed restriction would set a limit on what manufacturers can add to products intended for infants in this age group. It aims to provide a clearer regulatory framework for age-appropriate infant nutrition while supporting healthy growth and development.

The draft notification has been published for public consultation. FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders within 60 days from the date on which copies of the Official Gazette containing the notification are made available to the public. The representations received within the prescribed period will be considered by FSSAI before the amendment is finalised. Until then, the proposal remains a draft regulation.