CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Mattala airport, named after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, is dubbed the world’s emptiest airport due to a lack of flights. COLOMBO: An Indian delegation is here to discuss a possible joint venture to operate the loss-making Mattala international airport in southern Sri Lanka, the government said today.

Detailed explanation-2: -India plans to buy the world’s emptiest airport in an effort to limit China’s influence in the Indian Ocean.

Detailed explanation-3: -In 2016, as the airport is not generating enough revenue to pay back the loans, the Sri Lankan government called for Expressions of Interest to run commercial activities. It was dubbed “The World’s Emptiest International Airport” by Forbes due to its low number of flights despite the large size of the airport.

Detailed explanation-4: -Therefore, to counter this strategic move, India went ahead and bought the least-thronged airport of the world. The newly-purchased airport is only a 30 minute drive from the Hambantota shipping port currently run by China.

Detailed explanation-5: -Indian company favoured because of potential visitor volume It was built by the government with the benefit of soft loans – including, tellingly, one from China Exim Bank – and opened in 2013 as the country’s first greenfield airport.