Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on 14 February 2026, which will be an event of historical and strategic importance in Northeast India. During this, PM Modi will land the plane at the highway-based Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) built on Dibrugarh-Moran National Highway (NH-127). This will be the first time in the North-East that a Prime Minister’s plane will land on the emergency landing strip on the highway instead of the airport.
Indian Air Force’s first emergency landing facility
Moran ELF is built on a 4.2 km long stretch of NH-127. This is the first such emergency landing facility of the Indian Air Force, which has been prepared for both military and civilian aircraft. PM Modi will reach Moran by military aircraft from Guwahati and will land here directly on the highway. There will be a special aerial demonstration for 30 to 40 minutes after landing.
During this time there will also be a show of strength by the Air Force. This demo will showcase the strength of the Indian Air Force, its emergency preparedness and its ability to use highways as runways. To make the highway safe, central dividers have been removed, fencing has been done on both sides, roadside shops have been removed and entry of animals/people has been banned. Tight security arrangements have been made. In this demo:
- Rafale and Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft will demonstrate landing and take-off on the highway.
- Other aircraft like Tejas, Hercules (C-130) and Antonov AN-32 may also be included.
What is the importance of this facility?
- This project provides alternative landing sites in case of war, natural disaster or failure of the main airport.
- Being close to the border of China and other neighboring countries in the North-Eastern region, this is necessary from the point of view of national security.
- Making highways dual-use (civil and military) increases the utility of infrastructure, especially in areas where airfields are limited.
- This is a step towards India’s self-reliant and strategic infrastructure development, where roads are being prepared not only for traffic but also for defense.
What gifts will PM Modi give during his visit to Assam?
- PM Modi will inaugurate Highway ELF in Moran and will also see the aerial demo.
- He will inaugurate the Kumar Bhaskar Verma Bridge. It connects Guwahati and North Guwahati on the Brahmaputra river. The bridge will reduce traffic jams and improve connectivity.
- He will launch classes at IIM Palasbari (Palasbari Campus of IIM Guwahati), which will give a boost to higher education.
- PM Modi will flag off 100 electric buses in Guwahati. This will promote environment-friendly transportation.
- National Informatics Center (NIC) data center will be inaugurated, which will strengthen the digital infrastructure.
- PM Modi will participate in the BJP booth conference. There is an effort to connect with the workers before the upcoming elections in the state.
This visit of PM Modi to Assam will be his 38th visit in the last 11 years, which shows focus on development projects and political activities in the state. This event to be held in Assam will not only showcase the strength of the Air Force, but will also give the message of India’s defense preparedness, infrastructure development and strong ties with the North-East.
