Indian Air Force brings exuberant pride to the nation on September 9, 2021, when the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet successfully landed at a national highway in India. The demonstration took place on NH-925, at Gandhav Bhaksar section in Jalore, Rajasthan.

Along with this, the IAF also landed C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft at the emergency landing field at Jalore. This demonstration was carried out with the aim of how the national highways can be used as an airstrip during a military emergency. This is the first time in history.

At this proud moment, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria onboarded transport aircraft which landed at the emergency field at Jalore National highway.

The Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari enthusiastically inaugurated this emergency landing facility for fighter jets, the landing strip has been made on the Satta-Gandhav stretch in Barmer in Rajasthan. 

There are more stretches identified by the Indian Air Force in different locations as Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, etc. These places will be gradually developed to provide the facility of the emergency landing.

The defense minister Rajnath Singh stressed the fact that roads and highway projects complement each other as the success of this project has proved. Earlier in 2016 and 2017, several mock drills had taken place in different locations as for the first-time fighter jet landed in Yamuna Expressway near Delhi, and in 2017 few fighter jets landed in Lucknow-Agra expressway. These landings were carried out to evaluate the risks and how much success they can be.

About the landing strip at Jalore

The construction of the landing strip started in July 2019 and finished in January 2021. It is located in the western border area which connects the villages of Barmer and Jalore. These projects have been funded by the government. Apart from this, two parking facilities at both ends of the strip and three helipads have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania, and Bakhsar villages.

During the inauguration of the landing strips, the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that these strips would help in relief operations during a natural disaster and the construction of the landing strips near the international border will convey the message that ‘we will stand up for unity, diversity, and sovereignty of our country at whatever the cost’.

In his Tweet, he further said that ‘We made three world records. Despite Covid, we constructed 38 km road per day, the highest in the world. The second is the construction of a 2.5 km 4 lane road in 24 hrs. on Mumbai-Delhi express highway.

The third refers to the construction of a 26 km single lane from Bijapur to Solapur in a day’. The success of the emergency landing of fighter jets has proved that this step taken by the government and the Union Minster deserves massive applause.

The collaboration between the Indian Air force and the Road and Transport Department has brought pride moments to the nation. These projects will certainly be very helpful in emergencies.