Gwadar International Airport is the new greenfield airport which will handle domestic and international operations and is managed and operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). The project is a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman, and China. It is part of the $56 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) development project, a cornerstone of China’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative. The estimated cost of this greenfield airport is $246 million, being built on an area of 4,300 acres of land. It is considered the biggest airport in Pakistan and the nation’s second airport capable of handling A380 aircraft upon its commissioning in 2022. It is expected to improve development conditions in Gwadar and boost trade between Pakistan and China.
The project was formally initiated under the CPEC program in 2014 and was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January 2015. The project was funded through a grant agreement signed between China and Pakistan in May 2017. Furthermore, the ground-breaking ceremony was held in March 2019, with construction scheduled to be completed in 2022. This new airport is located 26km northeast of the existing airport in Gwadar City on the southwestern Arabian Sea coast of the Balochistan region. The greenfield airport features a modern terminal building spread over 14,000m². It also has a cargo terminal and a handling capacity of 30,000 tons a year. This new airport offers modern facilities and ensures safe operations by improving passenger comfort and convenience.
Given the importance of this new airport, government officials have announced that the Gwadar International airport will become operational next year in Sept 2023 to connect it to the major cities of Pakistan and the world. This new airport will be able to accommodate big aircraft like Airbus A-380 and Boeing -747 and 777, etc., for international and domestic services. It will also enhance air connectivity of the country’s provinces with the Middle East.
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