InterGlobe Aviation Ltd (IndiGo) stock traded higher on Thursday, 18 December 2025, as investors weighed signs of operational stabilisation against an intensifying spotlight from regulators, lawmakers, and analysts. In morning trade, the stock climbed roughly 2% to the ₹5,076–₹5,100 zone after CEO Pieter Elbers told employees that “the worst is behind us” and highlighted a return to around 2,200 daily flights. [1]
That bounce is real—but it’s landing on a runway covered in paperwork: a parliamentary panel has criticised responses from IndiGo and the aviation regulator as “evasive” and is awaiting an investigation report expected by 28 December, while brokerages continue to recalibrate price targets and earnings assumptions after the early-December disruption. [2]
Below is a detailed, reader-friendly roundup of what’s moving InterGlobe Aviation stock on 18.12.2025, what analysts are forecasting now, and which catalysts could define the next leg.
InterGlobe Aviation share price: what moved the stock on 18 December 2025
The immediate trigger was a confidence-restoration message from CEO Pieter Elbers to employees, with a clear operational claim: IndiGo has restored roughly 2,200 daily flights, and the focus now shifts to “resilience, fixes and rebuilding” (as described in coverage of the internal communication). [3]
Markets tend to reward two things after a disruption:
- evidence the disruption is ending, and
- evidence the company can prevent a repeat.
Thursday’s price action suggests traders are at least tentatively buying the first point. Whether they buy the second will depend on what regulators and investigators conclude—and on how quickly IndiGo’s cost base and schedules normalise.
Parliament steps in: why the political reaction matters for the stock
On 18 December, reports said a parliamentary committee reviewing the flight-disruption episode found the replies from IndiGo and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) “evasive” and “unconvincing,” and chose to wait for a separate investigation report expected by 28 December 2025 before forming a view. [4]
This matters for shareholders because parliamentary scrutiny can amplify three market risks at once:
- Regulatory penalties or tighter monitoring (which can raise compliance costs).
- Operational constraints (capacity restrictions, slot reallocations, or more conservative scheduling).
- Reputational damage (which can hit yields and forward bookings, especially in premium/time-sensitive routes).
In plain English: even if flights are back, the aftershocks can still hit earnings.
The core issue behind the disruption: FDTL and capacity cuts
Most of the current sell-side debate traces back to a single operational and regulatory stress point: Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) and the airline’s preparedness for those rules.
Earlier this month, IndiGo revised guidance after DGCA-directed schedule reductions following mass cancellations. Reuters reported the airline cut its third-quarter outlook: capacity growth expectations were reduced (from “high teens” previously to “high single to early double-digit” growth), while passenger unit revenue was expected to decline year-on-year by a mid-single-digit percentage. [5]
Separately, Reuters also reported IndiGo estimated a total payout of over ₹5 billion to customers impacted by cancellations (roughly $55 million), underscoring that the disruption has an immediate cash-and-cost footprint, not just a PR footprint. [6]
For investors, the big question is not “Was December painful?” (it was), but rather: Does the disruption permanently reset IndiGo’s cost structure upward? Several broker notes argue pilot availability, rostering buffers, and compliance requirements could structurally raise cost per seat—at least for a while.
Sensex inclusion is coming—but Mint flags an awkward setup
InterGlobe Aviation is also heading into a major index event: it is set to be added to the BSE Sensex effective 22 December 2025, replacing Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (per BSE index update coverage). [7]
However, Mint noted a striking historical comparison: based on one-month pre-inclusion performance, InterGlobe Aviation has been tagged as the worst Sensex newcomer since 2010, reflecting the sharp drawdown during the disruption period leading into the index change. [8]
Why this matters:
- Passive flows tied to Sensex tracking can support demand mechanically.
- But sentiment into the inclusion event is unusually fragile, which can increase volatility around the rebalance window.
Think of it as: forced buying meets nervous selling—an ideal recipe for sharp candles even without fresh headlines.
Brokerages and forecasts: price targets reset, but most keep “Buy” calls
Analyst commentary around InterGlobe Aviation stock is now less about long-term demand (India aviation demand remains the structural story) and more about near-term execution + regulatory overhang.
Geojit cuts target on 18 December: still “Buy,” but risks are stacking
On 18 December, Geojit Investments cut its target price to ₹5,830 from ₹6,720, while maintaining a “Buy” rating. The note cited near-term challenges including regulatory scrutiny, competitive pressures (including potential slot reallocation dynamics), and difficulty in pilot recruitment. [9]
This is a classic post-crisis brokerage move: keep the long-term thesis, haircut the near-term certainty.
Goldman Sachs: “Buy” maintained, target trimmed
A Goldman Sachs note (as reported by NDTV Profit on 17 December) reiterated a “Buy” stance but trimmed its 12-month target to ₹5,600 from ₹5,700, citing forex losses and costs linked to customer vouchers/compensation, while still emphasising IndiGo’s dominant position and low-cost structure. [10]
Jefferies: target cut sharply, but rating stays positive
Jefferies reduced its target price to ₹6,035 (from ₹7,025) while maintaining “Buy,” arguing the disruption dents near-term earnings but doesn’t necessarily break the long-term story—especially if fleet induction and pilot sufficiency stabilise. [11]
UBS and Investec: the bullish base case vs the bear case
An Economic Times compilation of brokerage actions earlier in December captured the current spread well:
- UBS maintained Buy, cutting its target to ₹6,350, citing inadequate preparedness for FDTL and higher future cost estimates (including rupee depreciation impacts on dollar-linked costs). [12]
- Investec stayed Sell with a target of ₹4,040, pointing to sharply rising costs and weaker earnings rebound expectations. [13]
That range—₹4,040 bear case to ₹6,350+ bull case—tells you the market is pricing a genuine fork in the road: “temporary mess” vs “permanent margin compression.”
Nuvama: “Hold” with a relatively tight downside target
Business Today reported Nuvama cut earnings estimates and retained a Hold stance with a target of ₹5,069, reflecting the view that near-term pain is meaningful but much of the obvious downside may already be reflected in price. [14]
Emkay: sees meaningful upside if normalisation holds
Emkay reiterated Buy with a target of ₹6,300, expecting operations to normalise (as cited in Economic Times coverage). [15]
What the broader analyst consensus implies right now
Economic Times’ consensus snapshot shows:
- Median target price ~₹5,984
- High ~₹7,400
- Low ~₹4,050
- Coverage count in the low 20s and a mean rating leaning “Buy” [16]
The key detail isn’t the median itself—it’s the dispersion. Wide target spreads typically mean analysts disagree on whether a short-term operational shock becomes a long-term cost problem.
Another overhang investors are tracking: disclosure scrutiny headlines
Beyond aviation regulators and lawmakers, corporate governance headlines also entered the story.
Moneycontrol reported on 11 December that SEBI was examining whether InterGlobe Aviation failed to make required disclosures under LODR norms, including scrutiny of board/committee minutes (citing sources). [17]
But subsequent exchange filings and follow-on reporting indicated the company denied receiving any SEBI communication indicating an examination had commenced, calling the report “factually incorrect” in that respect. [18]
From a market perspective, this does two things at once:
- Reduces the probability of an immediate enforcement bombshell (good).
- Keeps governance questions in the narrative during a period when the stock badly wants narrative stability (not good).
Where the stock sits vs key reference points
The National Stock Exchange quote page lists InterGlobe Aviation’s:
- 52-week high: ₹6,232.50 (18 Aug 2025)
- 52-week low: ₹3,945.00 (22 Jan 2025) [19]
With the stock trading around the ₹5,0xx zone on 18 December (per intraday reports), it remains meaningfully below the 52-week high—suggesting the market is still demanding a “trust discount” for regulatory and operational risk. [20]
What matters next: 5 catalysts to watch after 18.12.2025
- The investigation report due 28 December
The parliamentary panel is waiting for it, and investors will too. Any finding that points to systemic planning failures or governance lapses could keep pressure on valuation. [21] - DGCA’s next steps and enforcement posture
Earlier reporting described show-cause actions and ongoing scrutiny tied to operational lapses. Follow-through (or lack of it) will shape the risk premium on the stock. [22] - Evidence of sustained schedule stability through winter disruptions
“2,200 flights restored” is a headline. Two more weeks of stable on-time performance is the proof investors want. [23] - Cost indicators: pilot staffing, compensation, and forex-linked expenses
Multiple broker notes explicitly frame the risk as a cost curve shift (pilots, training, compliance buffers, and USD-linked cost inflation). [24] - Sensex rebalance dynamics around 22 December
Index inclusion can create technical demand, but with sentiment fragile, it can also magnify swings. [25]
The big picture: why the market still takes IndiGo seriously
Even amid the turbulence, IndiGo remains the central player in Indian aviation. Reuters has described IndiGo as holding roughly 65% market share, with the scale to operate thousands of flights a day—making its operational health a system-level issue, not just a company-level issue. [26]
That dominance is exactly why the stock can rebound quickly on stabilisation headlines—and exactly why the downside can be sharp when regulators intervene: concentrated market power attracts concentrated scrutiny.
Bottom line (informational, not a recommendation)
As of 18 December 2025, the market is pricing InterGlobe Aviation like a company in the middle of a credibility rebuild: operations appear to be stabilising, but the stock’s next move likely hinges less on today’s “worst is behind us” relief and more on what the forthcoming inquiry report and regulators say about accountability, compliance, and future constraints. [27]
References
1. m.economictimes.com, 2. www.financialexpress.com, 3. m.economictimes.com, 4. www.financialexpress.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.livemint.com, 8. www.livemint.com, 9. www.business-standard.com, 10. www.ndtvprofit.com, 11. www.financialexpress.com, 12. m.economictimes.com, 13. m.economictimes.com, 14. www.businesstoday.in, 15. m.economictimes.com, 16. economictimes.indiatimes.com, 17. www.moneycontrol.com, 18. informistmedia.com, 19. www.nseindia.com, 20. m.economictimes.com, 21. www.hindustantimes.com, 22. www.hindustantimes.com, 23. m.economictimes.com, 24. m.economictimes.com, 25. www.livemint.com, 26. www.reuters.com, 27. m.economictimes.com
