Prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Assam on February 14, an ordinary section of national highway was converted into a working airfield, causing first amazement and then growing excitement throughout Moran. The sound of fighter jets and military transport planes descending from the sky will soon be heard in what is typically a corridor of trucks and everyday commuters. In order to accommodate fighter jets and military helicopters, a route that is typically congested with trucks, buses, and two-wheelers was cleared, secured, and carefully prepared.
Many locals called the scene “unforgettable” when the plane landed on the asphalt, causing the earth to tremor and the air to fill with the deafening sound of engines. Elders gazed in surprised silence as children sat on their parents’ shoulders, and cell phones sprang up everywhere to record the unique event. It wasn’t only a symbolic exercise. The Indian Air Force’s ability to quickly transform public infrastructure into emergency airbases was demonstrated by the successful takeoffs and landings of fighter planes and helicopters on the highway strip.
For many in Upper Assam, the high-intensity defence drill at Moran marked a historic first. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Prime Minister will travel from New Delhi to Chabua Air Force base and then land via a C-130 aircraft on the newly built highway Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) at Moran before heading to Guwahati. Around 16 Indian Air Force aircraft, including Dassault Rafale and Sukhoi Su-30MKI jets, will take part in the 30-minute exercise, with several landing on the strip. Officials said the drill will test rapid deployment and coordination, highlighting India’s push for dual-use infrastructure. Students from nearby districts have been invited to witness the rare event, aimed at inspiring interest in the Indian Air Force.