New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday, May 2, carried out a high-stakes flypast and emergency landing exercise on Uttar Pradesh’s Ganga Expressway, marking the first time a national expressway has been tested for both day and night fighter jet operations. The drill, involving frontline aircraft like the Rafale, SU-30 MKI, and Mirage-2000, is part of India’s preparedness push amid heightened security concerns following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
The operation tested the expressway’s viability as an alternative runway for combat and transport aircraft during crises. Similar IAF exercises have previously taken place on the Lucknow-Agra and Purvanchal expressways, but only under daylight conditions.
Multi-Domain Readiness on Display
The flypast was not an isolated show of force. India’s military has heightened alert levels across all operational domains following the Pahalgam massacre. The Indian Navy recently demonstrated its offensive reach by launching successful anti-ship missile strikes in the Arabian Sea.
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Adding to the show of maritime strength, INS Surat, the Navy’s latest guided missile destroyer, successfully tested the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) system, capable of intercepting aerial threats up to 70 km away. Jointly developed with Israel, the MR-SAM adds a new layer of air defence to India’s naval capabilities.
Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard has intensified patrolling near the maritime boundary off Gujarat, working in tandem with naval forces to bolster surveillance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, responding to the terror attack, declared that those responsible “would be punished in a way they never imagined,” as the National Investigation Agency continues its probe into the plot.
