Surat Takes Off: Diamond City’s Airport Becomes Gujarat’s Third International Airport

The Centre has officially notified Surat Airport in Gujarat as an ‘International Airport’. This decision follows the Union Cabinet's approval in December 2023 for the same.

“It is hereby declared that Surat Airport in Gujarat as an International Airport with immediate effect,” reads a gazette notification.

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the new terminal building at Surat Airport on 17 December last year.

The airport boasts a runway measuring 2,906 x 45 m, capable of accommodating Code 'C' type aircraft, along with a terminal building covering an area of 8,474 sqm.

Surat is known as India’s diamond city. It processes 90 per cent of all diamonds that are purchased across the world. It has over 6,000 units that cut and polish rough diamonds from around the world.

Currently, Gujarat has about 11 functional airports including those at Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Kandla, Bhuj, Porbandar, Keshod and Mundra.

With the addition of Surat, Gujarat now hosts three international airports, alongside Ahmedabad and Rajkot.

Further, work is underway for an international airport at Dholera. The new greenfield airport at Dholera is situated at an aerial distance of 80 km from Ahmedabad airport.

It is being implemented by Dholera International Airport Company Limited, a joint venture company comprising Airports Authority of India, the Government of Gujarat, and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust holding equity in the ratio of 51:33:16.