Modi’s delegate arrives for inauguration of India-assisted Hanimaadhoo airport

Minister of Civil Aviation of India Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has arrived in the Maldives on official visit as the Special Envoy of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inauguration of Hanimaadhoo International Airport, developed with assistance from India.

Naidu was received at the airport by Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel.

According to Maldivian Foreign Ministry, Naidu will be jointly inaugurating the Hanimaadhoo International Airport, a project funded under the Line of Credit assistance of the Government of India, during a special ceremony held at Hanimaadhoo on Sunday night.

Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of India, Minister of Civil Aviation H.E Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu @RamMNK has arrived in Maldives on an official visit. He was received at the airport by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Abdulla Khaleel @abkhaleel @MoCA_GoI @HCIMaldives pic.twitter.com/km9lWnSAim

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs ???????? (@MoFAmv) November 9, 2025

The airport’s development is funded by a USD 800 million line of credit issued from EXIM Bank, India, under an agreement executed between the Maldivian government and the bank in 2019. The development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport was contracted to India’s JMC Projects for USD 136.6 million. 

The project, which is directly linked to the hopes of northern Maldivians, will see the development of a 42,000 square feet apron, a 2,400-meter runway, a 10,500 square feet passenger terminal and a 3,800 square feet air traffic control tower alongside an arm and fuel jetty. The passenger terminal can accommodate up to 1.3 million passengers per annum.

Although there are numerous resorts and guesthouses in northern Maldives, their most pertinent concern if the fact that they have to rely on Male’ for their travel requirements.

If tourists were to travel from Male’ to northern islands including Hanimaadhoo, the cost of their air fare would cover one week’s stay in a guesthouse near Male’. This is one of the reasons behind the low demand for resorts and guesthouses in northern atolls.