Lilabari Airport

Lilabari Airport
Lilabari Airport
	IATA: IXI; ICAO: VELR;
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Airports Authority of India
Serves	North Lakhimpur
Location	Lilabari, North Lakhimpur, Assam, India
Elevation AMSL	330 ft / 101 m
Coordinates	27°17′44″N 094°05′52″E / 27.29556°N 94.09778°E
Website	Lilabari Airport
Map
	IXI IXI
Runways
Statistics (April 2024 - March 2025)
Passengers
Passengers	30,108 ( 16.8%)
Aircraft movements	719 ( 41.7%)
Cargo tonnage	-
	Source: AAI

Lilabari Airport (IATA: IXI, ICAO: VELR), also known as North Lakhimpur Airport, is a domestic airport serving the city of North Lakhimpur in Assam, India. It is located at Lilabari, 8 km (5.0 mi) north from the city centre.

History

The Lilabari airport project in Lakhimpur began following hectic campaigning and lobbying by local Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Ranee Narah from 1999 to 2003.^[4] Construction of the airport had finished by 2003, and the terminal was inaugurated by then Union Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain.^[4]^[5]

Lilabari Airfield has a little-known but significant history as a forward operating base for the Indian Air Force. During the 1962 Sino-Indian War and in the decades that followed, the IAF used the airfield for airlift, surveillance, and logistical support in the Northeast frontier. Its proximity to strategic regions made it a quiet but vital asset, particularly during operations in Arunachal Pradesh.^[6]