Porbandar Airport#Military Enclaves

{{Infobox airport

| name = Porbandar Airport

| image = PBD Porbandar Airport.jpg

| image-width =

| caption =

| IATA = PBD

| ICAO = VAPR

| pushpin_map = India Gujarat#India

| pushpin_label = PBD

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of airport in India

| type = Public

| owner =

| operator = Airports Authority of India

| owner-oper =

| city-served = Porbandar

| location = Porbandar, Gujarat, India

| elevation-f = 17

| elevation-m = 7

| coordinates = {{coord|21|38|55|N|069|39|26|E|type:airport}}

| website = [https://www.aai.aero/en/airports/porbander Porbandar Airport]

| metric-elev =

| metric-rwy = y

| r1-number = 09/27

| r1-length-f = 4,500

| r1-length-m = 1,372

| r1-surface = Asphalt

| stat-year = April 2024 - March 2025

| stat1-header = Passengers

| stat1-data = 694 ({{decrease}} 72.6%)

| stat2-header = Aircraft movements

| stat2-data = 133 ({{decrease}} 73.8%)

| stat3-header = Cargo tonnage

| stat3-data = -

| footnotes = Source: AAI{{cite web|title=Annexure III – Passenger Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex3.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=1 May 2025}}{{cite web|title=Annexure II – Aircraft Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex2.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=1 May 2025}}{{cite web|title=Annexure IV – Freight Movement Data|url=https://www.aai.aero/sites/default/files/traffic-news/Mar2k25Annex4.pdf|website=aai.aero|access-date=1 May 2025}}

}}

Porbandar Airport {{airport codes|PBD|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.{{cite news|title=SpiceJet launches Mumbai-Porbandar flight; services resume after 3 years hiatus|url=https://deshgujarat.com/2025/03/29/spicejet-launches-mumbai-porbandar-flight-services-resume-after-3-years-hiatus/|work=DeshGujarat|date=29 March 2025|access-date=1 May 2025|language=en}} 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.[http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=37719 New Terminal Building at Porbandar Airport] Press Information Bureau, Government of India

Structure

The airfield is spread over {{convert|278.32|acre|sqkm}}, has a {{convert|4500|ft|m}} long runway and an apron that can accommodate 2 ATR 72 aircraft. The new {{convert|4000|sqm|sqft}} Terminal Building at Porbandar Airport has been built at a cost of {{INRConvert|13.50|c}}. 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.

Airlines and destinations

{{Airport destination list

| SpiceJet | Mumbai

}}

Military operations

=Naval Air Enclave=

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.[http://indiannavy.nic.in/PRel_110117_UAV343Sqn-Porbander.pdf UAV Squadron Commissioned at Porbandar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206055559/http://indiannavy.nic.in/PRel_110117_UAV343Sqn-Porbander.pdf |date=6 February 2011 }} Indian NavyPress Release As of 2024, the squadron operates 2 Drishti 10 Starliner UAVs inducted in 2024.{{Cite news |date=2024-12-04 |title=Adani Defence delivers 2nd Drishti-10 drone to Navy, boosting maritime surveillance capability |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/adani-defence-delivers-2nd-drishti-10-drone-to-navy-boosting-maritime-surveillance-capability/articleshow/115971573.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-12-18 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}
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.{{cite web|title=Commissioning of INAS 314 - "RAPTORS"|url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/commissioning-inas-314-%E2%80%9Craptors%E2%80%9D|date=29 November 2019|publisher=Indian Navy}}

=CGAE Porbandar=

Coast Guard Air Enclave, Porbandar, was commissioned on 12 June 2008.[http://indiancoastguard.nic.in/indiancoastguard/dgvisit/CGAE%20Porbander/Commissioning%20CGAE%20Porbander.htm Commissioning of CGAE Porbandar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702111556/http://indiancoastguard.nic.in/indiancoastguard/dgvisit/CGAE%20Porbander/Commissioning%20CGAE%20Porbander.htm |date=2 July 2011 }} Indian Coast Guard It provides logistical and administrative support to the Dornier Flight and 850 Sqn (ICG) which operates the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).[http://www.indiancoastguard.nic.in/Indiancoastguard/aviation/aviation.html Indian Coast Guard Aviation] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031231643/http://indiancoastguard.nic.in/Indiancoastguard/aviation/aviation.html |date=31 October 2012 }} Indian Coast Guard