The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), on Friday, hosted the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, one of the largest and heaviest cargo aircraft in the world.The An-124, regarded as the world’s second heaviest gross weight production cargo airplane after the destroyed one-off Antonov An-225 Mriya, remains the largest military transport aircraft currently in service. With its four powerful turbofan engines and long-range capacity, the Antonov An-124 is designed to transport oversized and heavy cargo, including military equipment and humanitarian supplies.Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Friday, October 10, hosted the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, one of the largest and heaviest cargo aircraft in the world. | Photo Credit: Special ArrangementAccording to airport officials, the aircraft arrived from Abu Dhabi International Airport and remained parked at RGIA for a few hours before departing for Dubai. “Since it is a cargo airplane, the aircraft was here to pick up some cargo,” a representative from the airport said.Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Friday, October 10, hosted the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, one of the largest and heaviest cargo aircraft in the world. | Photo Credit: Special ArrangementIn a statement, the airport management expressed pride in handling the massive aircraft. “We are proud to have hosted the Antonov An-124 Ruslan on our runway. This is a testament to our state-of-the-art facilities and cargo capabilities, which can accommodate such a sky giant. It reaffirms RGIA’s commitment to supporting the world’s most demanding transport needs,” the statement read.The world’s largest cargo aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, which was destroyed during the Russia-Ukraine war, had also made its first landing in India at the Hyderabad airport in May 2016.Published - October 10, 2025 07:32 pm IST