New Delhi, October 20, 2026: Indian engineering and construction company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has begun preliminary engineering, design and planning activities for the New Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan after receiving limited authorisation to proceed under its previously awarded construction contract. The project falls under L&T’s ultra-mega order category, covering contracts valued at more than ₹15,000 crore, and includes a passenger terminal designed to accommodate approximately 1.7 crore travellers annually.
In a statement issued on October 19, L&T said its Public Spaces, Airports & Health business had received a Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) from the public-private partnership (PPP) consortium developing the airport.
The authorisation allows the company to undertake preparatory activities under its existing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the passenger terminal and associated landside infrastructure.
According to L&T, initial engineering, detailed design, project planning, procurement preparation and other pre-construction activities have commenced.
However, full-scale construction at the airport site has not yet been authorised. The company said the consortium would issue a full Notice to Proceed once the agreed contractual conditions are fulfilled, allowing on-site construction to begin.
The proposed passenger terminal and associated landside facilities are designed to accommodate approximately 17 million passengers annually. This represents planned capacity rather than actual passenger traffic, as the new airport is not yet operational.
L&T’s responsibilities include site grading, road infrastructure, structural construction, architectural finishes, mechanical, electrical and plumbing services, utilities and the installation of advanced airport systems.
These activities form part of the terminal and landside infrastructure covered by the company’s contract. The announcement does not establish that L&T is responsible for constructing every component of the airport, including runways and other facilities outside the disclosed scope.
The company has classified the contract as an ultra-mega order, its highest project-value category, which covers contracts exceeding ₹15,000 crore.
However, L&T has not disclosed the exact contract value or provided a detailed financial breakdown. The ₹15,000 crore threshold therefore reflects the company’s order classification rather than a separately confirmed total development cost for the airport.
The New Tashkent International Airport is a greenfield project, meaning it is being developed as a new airport rather than an expansion of an existing terminal.
According to L&T, the airport is intended to strengthen Uzbekistan’s international aviation connectivity and support the country’s ambition to become a major transport hub in Central Asia.
The company said the project is expected to improve regional passenger, cargo and logistics connectivity once the planned infrastructure becomes operational.
Sthaladipti Saha, Senior Vice President and Head of Buildings Infrastructure at L&T, described the project as an important addition to the company’s international infrastructure portfolio.
The airport contract adds to L&T’s overseas engineering and construction activities, particularly in large-scale transport and public infrastructure projects.
The October 19 announcement does not provide a confirmed date for the start of full-scale construction, project completion or the commencement of airport operations.
The latest development therefore marks the beginning of preparatory work under L&T’s existing contract, with on-site construction dependent on the consortium issuing a full Notice to Proceed after the relevant contractual conditions are met.
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