The Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation has announced the launch of a fresh call for private sector expressions of interest to develop operations and infrastructure at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA).

Deputy Minister Ruwan Kodithuwakku stated that a Cabinet paper will be submitted to formalize the process and attract new investors to the underutilized facility.

Previously, Cabinet approval had been granted to hand over airport operations to a Russian-Indian joint venture, but the agreement was later abandoned. One party involved had been subject to U.S. sanctions, raising concerns over national airspace sovereignty and prompting the government to withdraw from the deal.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the government will carefully evaluate all proposals received through the new call for interest and select suitable investors to revitalize the airport.

Currently, MRIA incurs an annual loss of approximately Rs. 3 billion.