Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Deesa airfield in Gujarat on October 20.
Key points
- The new Deesa airfield to be constructed in Gujarat close to the western border fills a huge gap between airbases in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- The Prime Minister said the forward base will add to the security architecture of the country.
- The new airbase will help optimise fuel-carrying by aircraft in addition to balancing Pakistan’s recent upgrades in the area.
- The base would also be well protected while allowing the Air Force to launch offensive operations when required.
- The project received sanction from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in March 2018 at a cost of Rs 997.63 crore and will be executed in two phases.
- The base will also play a vital role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in the region.
- The base will also improve overall air connectivity in the region with the current thrust for regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme.
