IAF begins trial runs at NE’s 1st highway airstrip ahead of PM’s Feb 14 inauguration

Dibrugarh: Sukhoi-30s and Rafale fighters roared across the skies over Moran in Dibrugarh on Wednesday as the Indian Air Force (IAF) commenced trial runs at the northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF), drawing massive crowds of locals eager to witness the historic aerial display ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Feb 14 visit.

Advanced fighter jets, including the Sukhoi-30s, Rafale fighters, indigenous Tejas jets, along with Hercules transporters and Antonov AN-32 aircraft, performed landing and take-off manoeuvres on the specially constructed 4.2-km highway airstrip in Moran, thrilling hundreds of spectators who lined the area to catch a glimpse of military aviation power.


Students, children and residents gathered at the vantage points along the Emergency Landing Facility on NH-127, cheering and waving as the formidable aircraft touched down and roared back into the blue sky in rapid succession.

The trial runs, which began on Wednesday and will continue until Feb 13, are part of final preparations for the PM’s visit, during which he will formally inaugurate the facility and will also witness an aerial demonstration by the IAF.

Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota, who visited the site last week, had specifically encouraged locals to witness the trials. “This will be a historic and rare experience for the region. I urge the local community, especially students and children, to come and witness the trials and main event as it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Kota had said during a preparatory meeting on Feb 5.

The Emergency Landing Facility represents a strategic milestone for the Indian Air Force, providing an alternative runway for military aircraft during emergencies or wartime scenarios when conventional airbases may be unavailable or under threat.

On Feb 14, Modi’s aircraft will make history by landing directly on the Moran ELF, marking the first time a sitting PM’s plane will touch down on a highway airstrip in the northeast. Following the landing, Modi will inaugurate the facility and observe the full aerial demonstration featuring the same aircraft currently undergoing trials.

To facilitate the trials and main event, traffic on NH-127 has been diverted through the old NH-37 via Moran town from Feb 6 until Feb 14.

Dibrugarh district commissioner Bikram Kairi and senior superintendent of police Abhijit Gurav have been coordinating closely with IAF officials to ensure smooth execution of both the trial runs and the main event.

The SSP said elaborate security arrangements are in place. “All security arrangements and drills have been thoroughly reviewed in view of the PM's upcoming visit. We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure a safe and successful event,” SSP Gurav said.

The successful completion of trial runs will pave the way for the grand inauguration, cementing Moran’s place in India’s strategic aviation infrastructure.