A Guide to Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in Srinagar

The history of the Srinagar airfield is deeply tied to the Indian Air Force. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, the airstrip played a critical role in the airlift of Indian army troops. Despite the lack of advanced landing aids and a developed infrastructure at the time, it was used successfully in October 1947 to prevent the capture of Srinagar.

Over the following decades, the airfield evolved from a basic landing strip. A civil enclave was eventually opened at the airport in 1979, and by 2005, it was officially designated as an international airport, expanding its scope beyond domestic and military use.

In 2015, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir proposed a formal name change for the facility. The proposal suggested naming it Sheikh ul-Alam Airport in honor of Nund Rishi, a revered Kashmiri Sufi saint known by that title.

Despite this proposal and the widespread use of the name, the official name of the airport was not formally changed. It remains widely recognized as Srinagar International Airport while continuing to honor the cultural legacy of the region.

The airport functions as a dual-purpose facility where military and civil operations coexist. The Airports Authority of India manages the integrated terminal, which was designed to streamline the movement of passengers traveling on both internal and overseas flights.

The physical infrastructure includes one asphalt runway that supports the various aircraft serving the region. Its location in Budgam provides a strategic link for travelers heading into the heart of the Kashmir Valley.