A Decade After GMR Exit, Maldives Seeks Indian Firms to Manage Hanimaadhoo Airport

The Maldives government, under President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, has requested Indian involvement in the management and operation of Hanimaadhoo International Airport. This move comes over a decade after the controversial expulsion of Indian infrastructure giant GMR Group from managing Velana International Airport in 2012. The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to review the proposal, which was presented during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special envoy's visit to the Maldives. Hanimaadhoo Airport, recently expanded with an $800 million Indian credit line, has been operational since 1986. The expansion includes a 2,465-meter runway and a new terminal capable of handling 1.3 million passengers annually. This development follows the 2012 termination of GMR's contract, which led to a $270 million compensation ruling in favor of the company by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre in 2016.