Strategic advantage for IAF as highways will serve as runways

The Indian Air Force successfully executed a "land and go" operation on a section of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 2 May.

- Subhash Narayan

The Indian Air Force successfully executed a "land and go" operation on a section of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 2 May. The 3.5-km landing site created on the highway can serve as a makeshift runway, allowing fighter jets to land during the day and at night.

The development of such dual-use (military and civilian) infrastructure could come handy if the India-Pakistan conflict escalates following the launch of Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, in which India conducted military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. The creation of such dual-use infrastructure is not new—it has been part of the PM Gati Shakti National Mission for providing multi-modal connectivity.