PM Modi Makes Historic Touchdown Aboard C-130J Aircraft on Assam’s First Emergency Landing Facility

Guwahati: In a landmark moment for India’s strategic and infrastructure capabilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a historic touchdown at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) built on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh, marking the inauguration of the first highway airstrip of its kind in Northeast India.

The Prime Minister was received at the venue by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, as crowds gathered to witness the high-profile event showcasing the region’s growing strategic importance.

Welcoming the Prime Minister, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the visit symbolised the state’s rapid transformation and described it as another historic milestone in Assam’s development journey. In a post, Sarma wrote that each visit by Modi brings “historic achievements” as the state moves toward what he called an “Atal, unwavering, progressive Assam”.

First-of-Its-Kind Strategic Facility in Northeast

Officials said the ELF has been specially designed in coordination with the Air Force to support both military and civilian aircraft operations. The dual-use facility can handle fighter aircraft weighing up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 74 tonnes.

Authorities described it as a crucial strategic installation that will significantly enhance defence preparedness, disaster response, and connectivity in the Northeast — a region prone to floods, landslides and seismic activity. In emergencies, the strip can enable rapid deployment of relief personnel, equipment and supplies to affected areas.

Symbol of Dual-Use Infrastructure Push

The Moran airstrip is part of a broader national strategy to build dual-use infrastructure in sensitive and border regions, allowing highways to double as emergency runways when needed. Experts view such projects as force multipliers that enhance operational flexibility while maximising public infrastructure investment.

Aerial Display Showcases Defence Readiness

Soon after landing, Modi watched a coordinated aerial display by the Indian Air Force featuring fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters demonstrating precision landing, take-off and rapid-response manoeuvres on the specially reinforced highway stretch. The demonstration highlighted India’s capability to convert civilian infrastructure into operational military assets during emergencies or wartime contingencies.

Boost to Regional Development

During the visit, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to inaugurate and flag off development projects worth more than Rs 5,450 crore, spanning connectivity, digital infrastructure, higher education and urban mobility initiatives across the northeastern states. Officials say these projects aim to accelerate economic growth, strengthen logistics networks and integrate remote areas more closely with national development corridors.

With the successful landing and aerial demonstration, the Moran Emergency Landing Facility now stands as a symbol of India’s expanding strategic infrastructure footprint in the Northeast — blending civilian utility with defence readiness.

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