Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi will inaugurate the runway at Air Force station of Deesa in North Gujarat which is located just 130 km away from neighboring country Pakistan. The runway has been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 394 crore for the Air Force Station Deesa, located in Nani village on Tharad Highway in Banaskantha district.

Situated 130 km from the international border, the airbase holds strategic significance for the country’s defence. The establishment of Deesa Airfield provides India with a geographically secure launch pad for simultaneous land and sea operations along the western border. It will play a crucial role in providing air defence for the important economic hubs of Ahmedabad and Vadodara. Constructed as per the GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) norms, the Air Force station utilizes environmentally friendly technology and green field concepts.

The construction of this air force station will bring economic prosperity to the Kutch and South Rajasthan regions by creating employment opportunities for locals. The UDAN scheme will provide regional air connectivity through the RCS. Additionally, the airfield will facilitate India in achieving its economic and energy goals by establishing an airbase to the east of the Kandla port and the Jamnagar oil refinery. It will serve as a launch pad for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions in the region.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in March 2018 approved Indian Air Force(IAF) plan to set up a forward fighter base at Deesa. The CCS approved Rs 1,000 crore initial investment to extend the existing runway, build fighter-pens and administrative facilities. A 4,000 acres air base at Deesa can plug the critical air defence gap between the Barmer and Bhuj/Naliya air bases. Deesa has become the ninth base under Air Force’s Gandhinagar-headquartered South Western Air Command (SWAC) which is responsible for the areas of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

While opening the Defense Expo in October 2022, PM Modi had performed virtual bhoomi pujan for 52 Wing Air Force Station at Deesa. The air base would increase operating range of fighter planes, reduce our response time during war, make it possible to launch land and sea operation on Western border and provide strong air defense to mainland Gujarat. The runway at the new base is designed to handle new-generation air carriers such as the Boeing C-17 Globemaster. DeshGujarat