Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram near Visakhapatnam, a greenfield airport developed by GMR Airports that is expected to transform Andhra Pradesh into a major aviation, logistics and technology hub on India’s eastern coast.
Developed across 2,200 acres under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis, the airport has been built by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Ltd (GVIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports. Commercial flight operations will commence on August 17, 2026.
Gateway to eastern India
Positioned as the “Gateway of the East”, the airport is expected to significantly improve connectivity for northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha while supporting the rapid industrialisation of the Visakhapatnam region.
The inauguration comes at a time when several leading technology companies, including Microsoft, Google and Reliance Industries, have announced plans to establish data centres in the Vizag region, reinforcing the city’s ambitions of emerging as eastern India’s technology and digital infrastructure hub.
The new airport is expected to strengthen tourism, trade, exports, logistics and investments while creating large-scale employment opportunities and supporting the Centre’s Viksit Bharat vision through world-class infrastructure.
Third greenfield airport for GMR
The Vizag airport is the third greenfield airport developed by GMR Airports after Hyderabad and Goa and the seventh airport operated by the group globally, joining Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa, Nagpur, Medan (Indonesia) and Mactan Cebu (Philippines).
The project was completed several months ahead of schedule, highlighting GMR’s execution capabilities in large-scale infrastructure development.
GMR Airports Ltd Business Chairman G B S Raju said airports act as powerful engines of economic growth and that the Vizag airport had been developed with a long-term vision to unlock opportunities in tourism, trade, cargo and aviation-linked industries.
He said the airport would emerge as a major gateway for India’s eastern corridor and drive investments, employment and regional prosperity.
Built for future growth
The integrated passenger terminal spans 77,342 square metres and has been architecturally designed in the shape of the locally found flying fish, Parava Meenu, reflecting Andhra Pradesh’s coastal heritage.
The airport has an initial passenger handling capacity of six million passengers per annum (MPPA), which can be expanded to over 40 MPPA in phases.
The terminal has been engineered to withstand wind speeds of up to 275 kmph, while the Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower is designed to withstand winds of 295 kmph.
Sustainability at the core
The airport incorporates several sustainability initiatives, including energy-efficient systems, green building practices, extensive natural lighting and a 5 MW solar power plant.
The broader development also includes a 154-acre Aerocity, residential township, industrial zone and aerospace hub, creating an integrated ecosystem for logistics, manufacturing, aviation services and aerospace industries.
GMR sees airport as growth catalyst
GMR Group Deputy Managing Director I Prabhakar Rao said the successful completion of the project reflected the dedication of thousands of professionals and combined modern design, advanced technology and sustainability to create a world-class aviation facility.
GMR Airports Executive Director & Chief Innovation Officer SGK Kishore said the airport represented the next generation of airport infrastructure in India, combining technology, sustainability and superior passenger experience with future-ready capabilities.
GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Ltd Chief Executive Officer Kanwarbir Singh Kalra said the airport had been built ahead of schedule as a technology-enabled gateway designed to deliver world-class operational excellence while supporting the region’s ambitions in trade, tourism, logistics and investments.
He said the airport would play a pivotal role in Andhra Pradesh’s long-term economic development and strengthen eastern India’s connectivity.