It is located at Hollongi, situated 14 km (8.7 mi) south from the city centre, in the Papum Pare district.

[9][10][11] In 2007, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh had chosen Banderdeva, situated 25  km from Itanagar, as a suitable location for the project.

AAI had recommended Hollongi on grounds of operational safety, lower costs of construction and ease of future expansion.

The Hollongi site lay on flat ground, had better usability in poor weather and offered scope for easy construction and expansion.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) eventually stepped in to put an end to the dispute in July 2012, and the Hollongi site was finalised.