HDh. Hanimaadhoo International Airport was officially inaugurated on Sunday following a major redevelopment project carried out under an Indian credit line.

The project, valued at USD 136 million (MVR 2 billion), was funded through a line of credit from India’s Exim Bank and began in January 2023 under the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and India’s Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu jointly inaugurated the airport. Minister Naidu attended the ceremony as a representative of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

To mark the inauguration, a Maldivian Airlines Airbus A-320 landed on the newly constructed 2.46-kilometre runway. The President and Minister Naidu jointly pressed the button to officially open the airport.

Following the ceremony, President Muizzu also inaugurated a new Bank of Maldives (BML) dollar counter at the airport. The delegation, including Minister Naidu and other guests, later toured the airport facilities.

The project was undertaken by India’s JMC Projects under an USD 800 million credit line provided by Exim Bank of India.

Key Features of the Hanimaadhoo Airport Development Project:

• Runway capable of handling A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft
• A new two-storey terminal with domestic and international check-in counters on the ground floor and duty-free shops on the upper floor
• Designed to serve up to 1.3 million passengers annually
• Includes a dedicated cargo terminal