Palali Airport in the Jaffna peninsula is one of the prominent airports to be developed. India has extended financial assistance to develop the Palaly Airport, Ministry of Civil Aviation said.

Palali airport, which is currently under the Ministry of Defence and used mostly as a military airport, is to be taken over by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation Priyankara Jayarathna said.

Ratmalana in the outskirts of Colombo city, Koggala close to Galle, Weerawila in Hambanthota district and Anuradhapura in the North Central Province are the other airports to be developed.

The Ministry has planned to build a new runway at Seetha Eliya in Nuwara Eliya.

The government also plans to import six medium-sized passenger MA 60 aircraft from China to promote the inland passenger transport once the runways are improved.

Country's second international airport is currently being build at Mattala in the Hambanthota district.