Hanimaadhoo Airport further solidifies close Maldives-India ties: Naidu

India's Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, who attended last night's Hanimaadhoo Airport inauguration ceremony as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, has said that the airport serves to further solidify the close relations between Maldives and India. 

Naidu stated that the development of the airport with USD 136 million (MVR 2 billion) from the USD 800 million line of credit facility extended by the Indian government exemplifies how India is always ready to be a development partner of the Maldives.

 

The airport will serve to further connect northern Maldives to India and the rest of the world, he said, adding that it will prove to be a hub for development and advancement. 

This project was the most key amongst development projects being conducted in Maldives through Indian assistance, he noted. 

He described the airport's design, especially the terminal designed taking inspiration from a manta ray, as an 'architectural marvel'. 

Naidu also went on to say that the Hanimaadhoo International Airport, with the capacity to serve 1.3 million passengers annually, would serve to increase investor confidence and advance tourism expansion in the north, as well as contributing towards advancement in other sectors such as fisheries. 

It is not simply an infrastructural development, Naidu pointed out, but rather a symbol of further strengthening Maldives-India ties. 

This is made even more special as the two countries are marking 60 years of diplomatic relations this year, he said. 

Maldives-India relations are rooted in shared history and culture, the Minister said. Under President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maldives-India ties have gone from bilateral ties to true multi-dimensional relations, he remarked. 

Modi's 'Neighbourhood First Policy' has brought new life to Maldives-India relations, according to Naidu. 

The Hanimaadhoo Airport project; financed through an Indian line of credit and developed by Kalpataru Projects — is one of the largest airport infrastructure projects in Maldives.

The airport's new terminal has been operational since October. 

It includes a 2.7 km runway, a new terminal capable of handling 1.3 million passengers annually, an air traffic control tower, cargo facilities, seaplane jetty and fuel farm.