The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday showcased its upgraded operational ability by carrying out a significant flypast and landing drill on Uttar Pradesh’s Ganga Expressway. This was India’s first expressway capable of hosting both day and night fighter aircraft landings, becoming the new standard for dual-use infrastructure.
The high-stakes drill included combat aircraft like the Rafale, SU-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, and some transport planes. It was designed to check the expressway’s capability to operate as an emergency runway in times of war or national emergency.
#WATCH | Shahjahanpur: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is conducting take-off and landing exercises on the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh
The exercise is being organised to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway during times of war or national emergencies. pic.twitter.com/0a7rIGg4Sv
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025
First Night Operations on an Indian Expressway
In contrast to earlier practice sessions on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal highways that were done in daylight, the Ganga Expressway had planes carry out low-light landings and take-offs. This new aspect makes it a valuable resource for the IAF during times of crisis.
#WATCH | Shahjahanpur: The Indian Air Force (IAF) carrying out a flypast on the Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh. The Air Force is conducting take-off and landing exercises here.
The exercise is being organised to assess the expressway’s potential as an alternative runway… pic.twitter.com/MugSdRDBHd
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025
Locals and students lined the expressway to witness the spectacle, mesmerized as jets thundered overhead. The IAF tested low fly-pasts, emergency landings, and quick take-offs under both day and night conditions.
Military on High Alert After Pahalgam Attack
The exercise timing comes on the heels of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 persons—largely tourists—were brutally slaughtered. Indian defense forces have gone into high alert on land, sea, and air in the aftermath of the attack.
The Indian Navy has heightened its alertness in the Arabian Sea, where a number of warships have recently conducted successful anti-ship missile tests to demonstrate their long-range strike abilities. Significantly, the newly commissioned INS Surat tried out its Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) system, which has been developed together with Israel. The sophisticated system can neutralize aerial threats as far as 70 kilometres and employs AI-enhanced radar technology.
Coast Guard Joins Surveillance Efforts
While doing so, the Indian Coast Guard has augmented its sea presence with ships off the international border off Gujarat. It is also closely coordinating with the Navy to maintain improved surveillance in Indian waters.
“The Indian Coast Guard has also been deploying ships in forward locations along the international maritime boundary off the Gujarat coast. It is working in close coordination with the Navy to beef up surveillance,” defence sources informed ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in response to the Pahalgam massacre, promised quick vengeance.
“The culprits will be punished as they had not imagined,” he stated.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken charge of investigating the Pahalgam attack to identify the larger terror network behind it.
