Telangana CM Revanth Reddy seeks Centre's help for Adilabad Airport cargo, MRO units
Synopsis
Telangana is making a strategic pitch to turn Adilabad — a district bordering Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh — into a dual-use aviation hub combining IAF infrastructure with commercial MRO and cargo operations. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's direct appeal to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underscores how critical Centre-state alignment is to unlocking the project, which hinges on acquiring 450 additional acres and clearing DRDO-linked investments in the region.
Key Takeaways
Revanth Reddy met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on 22 June to seek support for Adilabad Airport development.
The CM requested large-scale cargo, MRO, and hangar facilities alongside the IAF airport and a Civil Aviation terminal at Adilabad.
Defence already holds an airstrip of 360 acres ; the Civil Aviation Ministry has asked the state to acquire an additional 450 acres .
The proposed airport will have a runway capable of handling Airbus A320 aircraft, enabling both defence and commercial operations.
Civil Aviation Minister K.
Ram Mohan Naidu had announced the dual-use airport — defence plus civil enclave — in April .
Revanth Reddy also requested expedited sanction for a DRDO/DRDL project near Devarakadra, Mahabubnagar , and thanked Singh for the Gandhi Sarovar Project land clearance at Bapu Ghat, Hyderabad .
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Monday, 22 June and sought the Centre's cooperation for establishing large-scale cargo, MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul), and hangar facilities at the upcoming Indian Air Force (IAF) airport at Adilabad, alongside a dedicated Civil Aviation terminal building. The meeting signals Telangana's intent to position Adilabad as a significant aviation hub in southern India.
Why Adilabad Is Being Pitched for MRO and Hangars
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy highlighted that Adilabad is an ideal location for world-renowned airlines to establish their maintenance hangars, particularly given recent developments in the Middle East that have disrupted existing MRO supply chains. He urged the Defence Ministry to factor these commercial opportunities into the airport's development blueprint.
According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Revanth Reddy pledged the state government's full cooperation for the development and major expansion of the IAF airport at Adilabad, describing it as a high-priority project of both regional and national significance.
Land Acquisition and State Support
The Chief Minister specifically assured Defence Minister Singh of the state's cooperation on two critical bottlenecks: land acquisition and the shifting of utilities. The defence establishment already holds an airstrip spanning 360 acres at Adilabad. The Civil Aviation Ministry has separately asked the state government to acquire an additional 450 acres to facilitate the full airport build-out.
The proposed airport is envisaged as a major facility with a runway capable of handling Airbus A320 aircraft — a specification that would make it viable for both narrow-body commercial operations and defence logistics.
Background: April Announcement and Dual-Use Design
Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu had announced in April that a defence airport would be constructed at Adilabad, with a dedicated enclave for civil aviation operations. The dual-use design — combining IAF infrastructure with a civilian terminal — mirrors a model being adopted at several other Tier-2 and Tier-3 Indian cities to maximise infrastructure investment.
Notably, this is part of a broader push by the Telangana government to develop aviation and defence-linked industrial capacity beyond Hyderabad, extending connectivity and economic activity to the state's northern districts.
DRDO Project and Gandhi Sarovar Land Transfer
During the same meeting, Revanth Reddy also requested Defence Minister Singh to expedite the sanction of a key DRDO/DRDL project at a site near Devarakadra in Mahabubnagar district. He also expressed gratitude to Singh for the Centre's recent approval allowing the state to undertake work on its flagship Gandhi Sarovar Project on defence land at Bapu Ghat, Hyderabad — a clearance granted by the Centre just last week.
With land acquisition timelines and Centre-state coordination now in focus, the pace of progress on the Adilabad airport will be closely watched as a test of the state government's ability to deliver on its aviation infrastructure commitments.
Point of View
And Telangana is right to flag it. But the project's dual-use nature means it requires unusually tight Centre-state-defence coordination, which has historically been a sticking point in Indian aviation infrastructure. The 450-acre land acquisition ask is non-trivial in a region with complex land records. What is missing from the public framing is a clear timeline and a committed investment figure — without those, the MRO opportunity risks remaining aspirational rather than actionable.
NationPress
22 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Telangana CM Revanth Reddy request from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh?
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy requested the Centre's cooperation for establishing cargo, MRO, and hangar facilities at the upcoming IAF airport at Adilabad, along with a Civil Aviation terminal building. He also assured the state's full support on land acquisition and utility shifting for the project.
What is the Adilabad Airport project and when was it announced?
The Adilabad Airport is a proposed dual-use facility combining an Indian Air Force base with a civil aviation enclave. Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu announced the project in April, with the runway designed to handle Airbus A320 aircraft.
How much land is needed for the Adilabad Airport?
The defence establishment already holds an airstrip of 360 acres at Adilabad. The Civil Aviation Ministry has additionally asked the Telangana state government to acquire 450 acres to complete the airport build-out.
Why is Adilabad being considered for MRO and hangar facilities?
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy cited Adilabad's geographic positioning as suitable for world-renowned airlines to set up maintenance hangars, particularly given recent developments in the Middle East that have affected existing MRO supply chains in the region.
What other requests did CM Revanth Reddy make during the meeting with Rajnath Singh?
Besides the Adilabad Airport, Revanth Reddy requested expedited sanction for a DRDO/DRDL project near Devarakadra in Mahabubnagar district. He also thanked Singh for the Centre's recent clearance allowing Telangana to proceed with its Gandhi Sarovar Project on defence land at Bapu Ghat, Hyderabad.
