Mighty Antonov An-124 Ruslan touches down in Hyderabad, marks its second arrival in over a month

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) hosted the Antonov An-124 Ruslan on Wednesday (November 13, 2025) morning, once again drawing the attention of aviation enthusiasts and logistics professionals. The aircraft, considered one of the largest and heaviest cargo planes in the world, last touched down at RGIA on October 10. The aircraft arrived from Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport.

The An-124 Ruslan is a heavy strategic airlift transport aircraft designed by the Antonov Design Bureau during the Soviet era. It made its first flight in December 1982 and continues to be noted for its ability to carry unusually large and heavy loads. Depending on the variant, the aircraft can transport between 120 and 150 tonnes of cargo.

In September 1993, a Siemens electric generator weighing 135.2 tonnes was once transported from Düsseldorf in Germany to Delhi aboard an An-124-100, marking the heaviest single piece of cargo ever carried on the aircraft. This was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records.

RGIA, in a statement, said, “The mighty Antonov An-124 Ruslan touched down at RGIA once again, showcasing our world-class capability to handle specialised, oversized cargo with precision and care. It is always a thrill to welcome this aviation icon back on our runway”.

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 Hyderabad airport in May 2016.