Tezu Airport (TEI)

Tezu Airport (TEI/VETJ) serves as India's easternmost domestic airport in Lohit district, Arunachal Pradesh, strategically positioned just 80 kilometers from the India-Tibet border and near the Myanmar frontier on 212 acres at 600 feet elevation. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in 2019 after a Rs 125 crore modernization, the facility operates a 1,500-meter asphalt runway 04/22 accommodating ATR 72 turboprops, with VFR-only daylight operations due to absence of ground lighting despite having NDB and VHF navigation aids.

The modern 4,000-square-meter terminal building handles 300 passengers during peak hours through five check-in counters (expanding to eight), featuring double-insulated roofing, energy-efficient LED lighting, solid waste management systems, water treatment plant, and integrated rainwater harvesting. The apron accommodates two ATR 72 aircraft simultaneously, while ancillary facilities include an ATC tower recently upgraded with Airdrome Control Unit and Approach Combined Unit in May 2025, fire station, fuel depot, and parking facilities supporting this remote border region's connectivity needs.

Operational characteristics center on scheduled services under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme, with Alliance Air operating Dornier aircraft to Hollongi (Tuesday/Thursday) and ATR-76 connections to Guwahati, Jorhat, and Imphal (Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Friday), plus FlyBig services to Dibrugarh. The airport operates exclusively during daylight hours due to infrastructure limitations, managing both civilian traffic and strategic military movements given its proximity to sensitive international borders with China and Myanmar.

Strategic importance extends beyond civilian connectivity to national security interests, providing crucial access for military personnel, government officials, and border communities in this ethnically diverse region home to numerous indigenous tribes. The facility enables economic development through improved access to markets, supports emergency medical evacuations from isolated valleys, and strengthens India's presence in disputed border areas while connecting Arunachal Pradesh's remote populations to mainstream India under the government's Act East Policy.