To bolster air connectivity across Lakshadweep, the Indian government is planning to build a new airfield at Minicoy Island, which is one of the 36 islands of India’s smallest Union Territory (UT). 

As per the information, an airstrip will operate both commercial and military aircraft on the island.

The plan is to have a joint airfield that would be capable of operating fighter jets, military transport planes and commercial aircraft,” government sources told the media.

Minicoy Island is the southernmost island of Lakshadweep, situated at a distance of 398 km (215 nautical miles) southwest of Kochi. The island has an area of 4.80 sq km.

Notably, the Minicoy island lies near the 9 0 Channel, which is one of the busiest shipping routes and is about 130 km from the northernmost island of Maldives.

Minicoy’s multi-purpose airfield 

Even though the proposals have been moved to the government for developing this new airfield in the Minicoy Islands in the past too, this plan of having a joint-use defence airfield has been revived in recent times and is being actively progressed, officials informed media. 

Earlier, the Indian Coast Guard was the first force under the Defence Ministry to propose the development of an airstrip in the Minicoy Islands. As per the present proposal, the Indian Air Force (IAF) would be in the lead to run the operations from the island.

From the military point of view, the airport would give India a strong capability as it can be used as a base to keep an eye on the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean region.

Further, the development of the airstrip will promote tourism around Lakshadweep and it will strengthen the surveillance capabilities of India over the Arabian Sea and Indian Pacific Sea.  

At present, there is only Agatti airstrip in the island territory, which is roughly 300km away from Minicoy. The island territory has been at center stage since the January 3 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM’s Lakshadweep visit

Earlier last week the PM visited Lakshadweep, where he dedicated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth more than Rs 1,150 crore.

Besides, the first-ever battery-backed solar power project was launched at Lakshadweep‘s Kavaratti.