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Built at a cost of $240 million, Pakistan's New Gwadar International Airport has become a symbol of China's ambitions along the New Silk Road — but it remains largely empty and rife with tensions.
The New Gwadar International Airport, built at a cost of US$240 million—approximately R$1,3 billion—has become a symbol of an ambitious infrastructure project that has yet to take off. Located in the Baluchistan region of Pakistan, the terminal replaced the former airport of the same name, but operates only one flight per week, when there are no cancellations.
Inauguration without movement
Officially opened on January 10, 2025, the airport received its first flight to Muscat, Oman.
However, the first landing only took place at the end of that month, with a Rotana Jet Airbus A319 coming from the United Arab Emirates.
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In the following months, the situation was uncertain. In February, the Associated Press reported that the airport remained without planes or passengers, and that the reasons for its construction remained "a mystery," as the old terminal only served three flights a week.
With a capacity for 400 passengers, the airport serves a city of just 90 inhabitants, which still faces basic needs.
Gwadar is not even connected to the national power grid and depends on supplies from Iran or solar panels.
The shortage of drinking water is also a constant problem, which raises questions about the usefulness of the billion-dollar structure.
Canceled flights and empty runway
The airport only began appearing on the FlightRadar24 platform in August, but with scant records. A single weekly flight was supposed to connect Gwadar to Karachi.
However, a recent survey showed that even this flight was canceled, and the international press claims that cancellations are frequent.
On the FlightAware platform, the departures and arrivals panels remain completely empty. The air traffic map also shows no movement in the region's airspace.
The lack of regular operations has turned the modern terminal into a virtually idle structure, fueling criticism and speculation about its true intentions.
A New Silk Road project
Much of the investment came from China, as part of the expansion strategy of the New Silk Road, a global infrastructure network that seeks to integrate trade and logistics routes between Asia, Africa, and Europe.
"This airport isn't for Pakistan or Gwadar. It's for China, so they can have safe access to Balochistan.,” international relations expert Azeem Khalid told the Associated Press.
Over the past decade, the Chinese government has invested billions of dollars in coastal Baluchistan. The region is strategic because it connects Xinjiang, China's westernmost province, to the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
This route is vital for the transportation of oil — about a quarter of the world's production passes through it — and represents a key link in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Gwadar, in this context, was planned as one of the main gateways to the economic corridor, but political and social instability in the region threatens the project.
Tension and militarization at the Airport
Chinese investments have sparked local tensions. Separatist groups accuse the Pakistani government and Beijing of exploiting the region's resources to the detriment of the Baluchi population, an ethnic minority that complains of discrimination and lack of opportunities.
These groups have already carried out attacks against Pakistani forces and Chinese workers. In response, the government increased its military presence, installing checkpoints, watchtowers, and barriers throughout the city.
Today, Gwadar resembles a militarized zone more than a tourist or economic hub. Intelligence officers monitor journalists and restrict access to public areas, such as the fish market, which are considered "too sensitive" for reporting.
According to the government, CPEC has already created around 2 jobs in the area, although it is unclear how many have gone to local residents.
The growing military presence and the feeling of insecurity are driving away investors and visitors.
Possible military use and climate of distrust
The tension is not limited to Pakistan's borders. Researcher Antoine Levesques of the International Institute for Strategic Studies told South China Morning Post that India, Pakistan's main regional rival, maintains "deep doubts" about the economic corridor and the new airport.
According to him, there is potential for “layers of militarization” that could result in hybrid warfare or even high-intensity open conflict.
Levesques believes that Gwadar airport could end up being part of a future Chinese military base in the Indian Ocean.
The proximity of the mountains also makes the site vulnerable to separatist attacks. The risk is so real that, during the inauguration, the government opted to hold the ceremony virtually, avoiding crowds.
Therefore, despite its grandeur and billion-dollar investment, the future of the New Gwadar International Airport remains uncertain.
Amid political tensions, international mistrust, and flight cancellations, the terminal continues to wait to actually take off.
With information from UOL.
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