The Government has extended by a further month the deadline for submitting proposals to develop the loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA).Accordingly, the Government announced that proposals will now be accepted until 9 July 2026, instead of the previously stipulated deadline.
However, the announcement does not provide any information on whether any proposals have been received so far following the Expression of Interest (EOI) call issued through a newspaper advertisement on 26 April 2026.Both the previous and current governments have made various attempts to transform the heavily loss-making Mattala Airport into a profitable venture.
As previously reported, the Government has structured a 30-year Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) concession arrangement for the airport, which has attracted interest from countries including India, China, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Strict eligibility requirements have also been laid down for investors seeking to participate in the BOT project Accordingly, prospective investors must possess a minimum net worth of US$50 million and have at least five years’ experience in the management of an ICAO-certified airport.It is also noted that the project requires special legal and financial safeguards due to administrative and legal considerations arising from the Port of Hambantota, which has been leased to China on a long-term basis.According to the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, 47 parties, including state-owned and private-sector companies from the UAE, India, China, and other countries, have so far expressed preliminary interest in the project.
