The recently renovated Hanimaadhoo International Airport, a significant infrastructural achievement created with financial and technical assistance from India, has formally opened in the Maldives. India's civil aviation minister and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu led the inauguration.
The airport project was funded under an $800 million line-of-credit facility extended by India’s EXIM Bank under its regional assistance programme. The build contract (worth about USD 136.6 million) was awarded to an Indian firm, making this among the largest bilateral infrastructure collaborations between the two countries.
The new facilities at Hanimaadhoo International Airport include a 2,465-meter runway and a state-of-the-art passenger terminal that can accommodate up to 1.3 million passengers a year. As a result of its transformation from a regional airport to a full-fledged international gateway, the facility is furnished with amenities that meet international standards.
According to the Maldivian government, the airport is expected to act as a “gateway to prosperity” for the northern atolls — promoting tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and broader economic development in a region that was previously less accessible.
The project also symbolizes deepening cooperation between India and the Maldives. In a statement, the Indian High Commission described the airport as “a true vehicle for progress and prosperity,” underlining India’s commitment to regional connectivity and development under its Neighbourhood-First vision.
Now that Hanimaadhoo Airport is operational, the Maldives hopes to shift tourist flows away from the popular southern resorts. This will allow the travelers to visit less-known northern islands, and ease the strain on the capital's main airport. Observers anticipate that this could promote sustained expansion across several islands and diversify the nation's tourism footprint.
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