Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd. plans to increase the number of its aviation fuel stations by 50%, in an attempt to capture greater share of a market controlled by state-run oil marketing companies.
RIL, which operates the world's largest single-location oil refining complex, plans to capture this opportunity through increased presence at airports to refuel airplanes. Reliance Aviation has the highest market share in 20% of the operating airports. RIL is looking to increase its network to 45 locations as against 30 at the end of FY20 and is well geared to benefit with the growth in the Indian aviation market
India currently has 256 aviation fuel stations, with Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. owning 119 of them. Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. has 61 and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. the remaining 44. RIL is the largest private aviation fuel retailer with 31 stations, according to latest data from the oil ministry.