The name proposed for this airport carries the weight of a 19-year-old martyr’s sacrifice. Kartar Singh Sarabha of Ludhiana district was a founding member of the Ghadar Party — the North American diaspora revolutionary movement that sought to overthrow British colonial rule in India through armed uprising. He was hanged at Lahore Central Jail on 16 November 1915, becoming one of the youngest martyrs of the Indian independence movement. His courage so moved Bhagat Singh that Singh reportedly kept Sarabha’s photograph in his pocket throughout his own resistance. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously resolved to name Ludhiana’s long-awaited new international airport after him — a resolution CM Bhagwant Mann moved during the Budget session, calling it a “humble tribute” to the young martyr. Whether the central government formally adopts this name or retains the working name Halwara International Airport remains pending. What is no longer pending is the airport itself: inaugurated by PM Modi on 1 February 2026 and commercially operational from 15 May 2026 with Air India’s twice-daily Delhi service, the airport carries IATA code HWR and ICAO code VIHX.
Quick Overview: Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport
| Detail | Information |
| Official Name | Halwara International Airport / Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport (proposed name, resolution passed by Punjab Vidhan Sabha) |
| Also Known As | Ludhiana International Airport; HWR Airport |
| Location | Halwara, Ludhiana district, Punjab, India |
| Airport Type | Public — International (civil enclave at Halwara Air Force Station) |
| IATA Code | HWR |
| ICAO Code | VIHX |
| Owner | Airports Authority of India (AAI) |
| Land Acquired By | Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) — 161.27 acres |
| Inaugurated | 1 February 2026 (PM Modi) |
| Commercial Operations | 15 May 2026 (Air India, Delhi) |
| Terminal Area | ~2,000 sq. metres |
| Runway Capability | Boeing 737-700 and Airbus A320 class |
| Coordinates | 30°44′52″N, 75°37′51″E |
| Distance from Ludhiana City | ~32 km |
| Current Airline | Air India |
| Active Route | Delhi (twice daily) |
| Water Cannon Salute | Yes — inaugural Delhi arrival on 15 May 2026 |
| Punjab Naming Resolution | Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport (Centre yet to formally confirm) |
Halwara Airport Location: Ludhiana’s Southern Aviation Gateway
Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport (Halwara) is located at Halwara town, approximately 32 kilometres south of Ludhiana city centre. The coordinates are 30°44′52″N, 75°37′51″E — the flat central Punjab plain south of the GT Road corridor, in the zone between Ludhiana and the Malerkotla area. The Halwara Air Force Station, one of the IAF’s operational bases, hosts the civil enclave within its perimeter.
The 32-km distance from Ludhiana city is greater than the old Sahnewal Airport’s proximity but is compensated entirely by what Halwara offers in return — jet-capable infrastructure, a terminal designed for both domestic and international operations, and the potential for Gulf routes to the Punjabi diaspora communities that Sahnewal’s 1,463-metre runway could never accommodate.
Ludhiana’s industrial catchment makes this airport commercially compelling. The city’s NRI business community — with strong manufacturing and trade links to the UK, Canada, and the Gulf — generates Gulf and transatlantic aviation demand that has historically bled to Amritsar Airport (ATQ, approximately 98 km) or Chandigarh Airport (IXC, approximately 95 km). A Ludhiana-based airport with Gulf route potential directly addresses that leakage.
Halwara Airport Code: IATA HWR and ICAO VIHX
The IATA code is HWR and the ICAO code is VIHX. HWR appears in Air India’s booking system for Ludhiana/Halwara. VIHX places it in the VI northern India block. The code assignment story itself was newsworthy: in April 2025, the AAI Chairman confirmed to Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora that the ICAO code VIHX had been assigned to the Halwara IAF Station, while the IATA code assignment was being forwarded to the Indian Air Force for confirmation given the airport’s IAF base character. The HWR IATA code was subsequently assigned and the airport was operational when Air India launched flights in May 2026.
Halwara Airport Terminal: New International-Ready Facility After Years of Delays
The development story of Halwara Airport is one of the more delayed airport projects in Punjab’s recent aviation history. Planned to be operational by 31 March 2022, the project stalled from May 2021 onward when GLADA failed to release the required funds for construction. Multiple completion dates passed without action — the airport was successively targeted for end-2023, July 2023, 2024, early 2025, and April 2025 before PM Modi inaugurated it on 1 February 2026.
GLADA eventually acquired 161.27 acres of land in Halwara for the civil terminal construction. Total funds committed included ₹30 crore from the Finance Department and ₹20 crore through GLADA from HUDD. The 2,000-square-metre terminal is designed to handle Boeing 737-700 and Airbus A320 class narrow-body aircraft — a step-change from Sahnewal’s turboprop-only operations. Infrastructure includes a modern terminal building with check-in counters, security screening, immigration counters for international processing, and passenger amenities.
Air India became the first commercial airline at HWR — launching twice-daily Delhi flights on 15 May 2026. The inaugural arrival from Delhi received a water cannon salute at Halwara — Punjab’s traditional aviation welcome for a new airport’s first commercial landing.
Halwara Airport Connectivity: Air India to Delhi, Gulf Routes Anticipated
By Air: Air India operates twice-daily Delhi flights from HWR as of mid-2026 — the airport’s sole scheduled commercial service. Delhi connectivity creates onward domestic and international connections for Ludhiana’s business and NRI community from Delhi’s IGI Airport. Gulf routes to Dubai, Sharjah, and other destinations — for which Ludhiana’s large Punjabi diaspora generates substantial demand — are the obvious medium-term addition. Additional domestic carriers were expected to announce HWR operations following the airport’s commercial launch. Confirm current schedules before booking.
By Road: Halwara town is approximately 32 km south of Ludhiana city — about 45 to 60 minutes by car on the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road. Taxis, Ola, and Uber serve the route. The airport is approximately 70 km from Jalandhar and approximately 130 km from Chandigarh.
By Rail: The nearest railway station is Ludhiana Junction (approximately 32 km north) — on the Amritsar-Delhi main line with trains to Delhi (approximately 5 hours by Shatabdi), Amritsar, Chandigarh, and Mumbai.
Halwara Airport Amenities: Modern Civil Enclave Terminal
The 2,000-square-metre terminal provides a modern domestic and international-ready passenger experience — a significant upgrade from Sahnewal’s 1,150-square-metre building. Check-in counters, security screening, immigration and customs infrastructure, passenger lounges, food and beverage counters, ATMs, and parking are operational. The IAF base context means security protocols are thorough — arriving 90 minutes before domestic and 2 hours before international departures is advisable.
FAQs: Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha International Airport
Q1. What is the IATA code for Halwara Airport?
The IATA code is HWR and the ICAO code is VIHX. The airport is also known as Halwara International Airport and Ludhiana International Airport, located 32 km south of Ludhiana city at Halwara.
Q2. When did Halwara Airport open?
PM Modi inaugurated the airport on 1 February 2026. Air India commenced the first scheduled commercial service — twice-daily Delhi flights — on 15 May 2026, with a water cannon salute for the inaugural arrival.
Q3. Who was Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabha?
Kartar Singh Sarabha (1896–1915) was a Ludhiana-born revolutionary and founding member of the Ghadar Party who was hanged at age 19 for his role in the 1915 armed uprising against British colonial rule. He was one of Bhagat Singh’s greatest inspirations. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously resolved to name the airport after him; the central government’s formal confirmation was pending as of mid-2026.
Q4. How long was the airport delayed?
Originally targeted for 31 March 2022, the project was delayed by approximately four years primarily due to GLADA’s failure to release construction funds. Multiple subsequent target dates (end-2023, July 2023, early 2025, April 2025) also passed before the February 2026 inauguration.
Q5. Will Halwara Airport have international flights to the Gulf?
The terminal is designed for international operations with immigration and customs infrastructure. Gulf routes — particularly to Dubai and Sharjah — for Ludhiana’s large Punjabi diaspora community are the commercially obvious next step. No Gulf routes had been formally announced as of mid-2026; confirm current status before travel planning.
