GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a historic touchdown on a highway airstrip in Assam on Saturday, marking a first for the Northeast.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft carrying the Prime Minister took off from the Chabua airfield and landed at the Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) on the Moran Bypass in Dibrugarh district. He later witnessed an aerial display by fighter jets, transport aircraft and helicopters at Moran.
“It is a matter of immense pride that the Northeast gets an Emergency Landing Facility. From a strategic point of view and during times of natural disasters, this facility is of great importance,” Modi posted on X.
The 4.2-km ELF is the first of its kind in the Northeast. Specially designed and constructed in coordination with the IAF, it can support the landing and take-off of both military and civilian aircraft during emergencies. The facility is strategically significant, with the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh located only a few hundred kilometres away.
Addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Guwahati later in the day, Modi said history had been created with his landing at the ELF.
“Once, the condition of roads in the Northeast was dilapidated. Today, we have a highway where not only vehicles can ply, but aircraft can land as well. Are you not proud that aircraft landed on your highway?” he asked.
He said Assam had witnessed extensive development over the past decade after people voted the BJP to power.
On national security, Modi said the world had seen how India responded after the Pulwama terror attack. Referring to Operation Sindoor, he added, “You have seen this strength of Bharat during Operation Sindoor. Did you see such courage in the Congress? At best, they issued statements after terror attacks. The Congress cannot do anything.”
He alleged that the Indian National Congress had never prioritised national security, claiming the Northeast had long lived under fear and insecurity during its rule. He further alleged that defence procurements under Congress governments were marred by corruption worth thousands of crores of rupees.
Modi said India was strengthening its armed forces and building high-quality highways, tunnels, bridges and modern airfields along its borders.
He also accused the Congress of encouraging divisive forces. “The Muslim League partitioned the country at Independence. Today, the Congress, by becoming a Maoist-Muslim League Congress, is working towards dividing the country again. Beware of the Congress,” he told the gathering.
During his day-long visit, the Prime Minister inaugurated several projects aimed at improving connectivity, strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting higher education and enhancing public transport.
Among them was the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu, built at a cost of approximately Rs 3,030 crore across the Brahmaputra. The six-lane extradosed prestressed concrete bridge connects Guwahati with North Guwahati, boosting regional connectivity.