A joint venture between an Indian and a Russian firm has secured the management contract for Sri Lanka’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota. The decision, approved by the Sri Lankan Cabinet, grants a 30-year management contract to Shaurya Aeronautics (Pvt) Ltd of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia. Mattala Airport, a $209 million facility once known as the “world’s emptiest airport,” was a major infrastructure project during former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure. It was funded through high-interest Chinese commercial loans, and since 2016, the government has sought commercial partners to manage it due to heavy losses.
Shaurya Aeronautics and Russian Firm to Manage Mattala Airport in Sri Lanka
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