Assam Emergency Landing Facility opens with Sukhoi, Rafale and Tejas air show | WATCH
Dibrugarh, Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed a spectacular Indian Air Force air show on Saturday as a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet took off from the newly inaugurated Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Assam’s Dibrugarh district.
The event marked the formal inauguration of the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility, a key defence and infrastructure project designed to strengthen military preparedness, disaster response and regional connectivity.
The highlight of the event is a 40-minute aerial display featuring fighter aircraft including Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Tejas, Rafale and transport aircraft, watched by the Prime Minister and senior officials.
Built at a cost of around ₹100 crore, the ELF has been developed as a dual-use runway for both civil and military operations.
Officials said the facility will:
- Act as an alternative runway to Dibrugarh Airport during emergencies
- Support Indian Air Force fighter jets and transport aircraft
- Enable faster deployment during natural disasters and rescue operations
- Improve logistics and strategic mobility in Northeast India
The runway has been designed in coordination with the Indian Air Force and can handle fighter aircraft weighing up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes maximum take-off weight.
PM Modi inaugurates ELF after landing in C-130J aircraft
Prime Minister Modi arrived at Chabua boarding a C-130J aircraft, which landed at the new facility for the inauguration ceremony.
The Indian Air Force had carried out rehearsals earlier this week, while Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed preparations and inspected the stretch of National Highway-37 that forms part of the landing strip.
Why this facility is important
Officials said the Emergency Landing Facility will play a crucial role in strengthening India’s defence infrastructure in the Northeast — a region considered strategically sensitive.
The ELF can be quickly activated for emergency military operations, relief missions, or large-scale disaster response, making it a critical asset for the region.
India’s first Emergency Landing Facility was inaugurated in Barmer, Rajasthan, in 2021, and the Assam facility is now the second such project in the country.