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Incheon Airport to provide operational consulting services for new Tashkent airport

Published: 17 Oct. 2025, 07:00

A rendered image of the passenger terminal at the new Tashkent International Airport [INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CORPORATION]

Incheon International Airport will provide operational consulting services for a new international airport being built in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

The state-run airport operator announced Thursday that it signed an operational services agreement on Tuesday with Vision Invest, a Saudi Arabian infrastructure investment company, for the new Tashkent airport project.

The contract, worth $25.48 million, will see Incheon Airport offer advisory and consulting services over the next five years, covering both the construction and operation of the airport.

The new Tashkent airport project is a large-scale public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure initiative, with an estimated total investment of 4.7 trillion won ($3.31 billion). Vision Invest proposed the project to the Uzbek government through an unsolicited bid, and the new facility will be built approximately 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) south of the current Tashkent International Airport.

Once the first phase is completed, the new airport will have the capacity to handle 17 million passengers annually. When fully developed, it is expected to become the largest airport in Central Asia, with a maximum annual capacity of 54 million passengers.

Incheon Airport said it will contribute to establishing the airport’s operational systems by leveraging its extensive experience in airport construction and management accumulated since the opening of the Incheon International Airport in 2001.

The company also plans to propose a development strategy tailored to local conditions, encompassing access transportation networks, logistics complexes, commercial and office facilities, and tourism-business integrated zones centered around the new airport.

Incheon International Airport Corp. CEO Lee Hak-jae, left, and Vision Invest CEO Omar Al Midani pose for a photo after signing the operational services agreement for the new Tashkent International Airport in Tashkent on Oct. 14. [INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CORPORATION]

The Tashkent project is considered a core component of the Uzbek government’s broader national aviation infrastructure modernization plan. Incheon Airport is also discussing with Vision Invest potential mid- to long-term business expansions, including equity investment and the establishment of a local subsidiary dedicated to airport operations.

“Tashkent has great potential to become a key transportation hub in Central Asia,” said Incheon Airport CEO Lee Hak-jae. “We will do our utmost to ensure a successful opening and smooth operation of the new airport, based on our proven operational capabilities.”

In addition to the Tashkent project, Incheon Airport signed a preliminary agreement in April to finalize a main contract for the development and operation of Urgench International Airport, where it was selected as the preferred bidder. The 200 billion won project involves constructing a new passenger terminal and operating the airport independently for 19 years. This will mark the first overseas project in which Incheon Airport holds 100 percent exclusive operational rights.

Since its first overseas venture supporting the operation of Erbil International Airport in Iraq in 2009, Incheon Airport has secured 39 overseas projects in 18 countries, with a cumulative contract value reaching $424 million.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK YOUNG-WOO [[email protected]]