Porbandar Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorAirports Authority of India
ServesPorbandar
LocationPorbandar, Gujarat, India
Elevation AMSL17 ft / 7 m
Coordinates21°38′55″N 069°39′26″E / 21.64861°N 69.65722°E / 21.64861; 69.65722
WebsitePorbandar Airport
Map
PBD is located in Gujarat
PBD
PBD
Location of airport in India
PBD is located in India
PBD
PBD
PBD (India)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
09/27 1,372 4,500 Asphalt
Statistics (April 2024 - March 2025)
Passengers694 (Decrease 72.6%)
Aircraft movements133 (Decrease 73.8%)
Cargo tonnage-
Source: AAI[1][2][3]

Porbandar Airport (IATA: PBD, ICAO: VAPR) is a domestic airport and an Indian Navy base serving the city of Porbandar in the state of Gujarat, India. It is a crucial gateway for tourism and economic activities in the city and its adjoining areas, with the city renowned as the birthplace of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The airport had direct flights to Ahmedabad, Delhi and Mumbai since the 1980s, all of which were discontinued in 2020. After a brief period of inactivity, the airport restarted operations in March 2025 with daily direct flights to Mumbai operated by SpiceJet, which was operated before until 2019 and 2021.[4] Apart from civilian operations, it has a military presence in the form of INAS 343 of the Indian Navy and CGAE Porbandar of the Indian Coast Guard. A new terminal building was opened in April 2008.[5]

Structure

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The airfield is spread over 278.32 acres (1.1263 km2), has a 4,500 feet (1,400 m) long runway and an apron that can accommodate 2 ATR 72 aircraft. The new 4,000 square metres (43,000 sq ft) Terminal Building at Porbandar Airport has been built at a cost of ₹13.50 crore (US$1.6 million). The building has six Check-in Counters and two Conveyor Belts in the Arrivals hall and can handle 100 arriving and 100 departing passengers at a time.[5]


Airlines and destinations

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AirlinesDestinations
SpiceJet Mumbai

Military operations

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  • INAS 343, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Squadron, was commissioned at the Naval Air Enclave, Porbandar in January 2011. This is the first Operational UAV Squadron under the Western Naval Command. Nicknamed ‘Frontier Formidables’, the Squadron has the dual tasks of undertaking operational missions besides providing training.[6] As of 2024, the squadron operates 2 Drishti 10 Starliner UAVs inducted in 2024.[7]
  • INAS 314 "Raptors" a new EW squadron was established on 29 November 2019. This squadron is responsible to undertake maritime surveillance in North Arabian Sea. Dornier 228 is currently operated by this squadron.[8]

CGAE Porbandar

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Coast Guard Air Enclave, Porbandar, was commissioned on 12 June 2008.[9] It provides logistical and administrative support to the Dornier Flight and 850 Sqn (ICG) which operates the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).[10]

See also

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Indian navy
Integrated commands and units
Other lists

References

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  1. ^ "Annexure III – Passenger Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data" (PDF). aai.aero. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  4. ^ "SpiceJet launches Mumbai-Porbandar flight; services resume after 3 years hiatus". DeshGujarat. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b New Terminal Building at Porbandar Airport Press Information Bureau, Government of India
  6. ^ UAV Squadron Commissioned at Porbandar Archived 6 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine Indian NavyPress Release
  7. ^ "Adani Defence delivers 2nd Drishti-10 drone to Navy, boosting maritime surveillance capability". The Economic Times. 4 December 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Commissioning of INAS 314 - "RAPTORS"". Indian Navy. 29 November 2019.
  9. ^ Commissioning of CGAE Porbandar Archived 2 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Indian Coast Guard
  10. ^ Indian Coast Guard Aviation Archived 31 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Indian Coast Guard
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