PM Modi's Historic Highway Landing In Assam

Dibrugarh, Assam; February 14, 2026: In a groundbreaking moment for India’s defence infrastructure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made history by landing on the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) built on a national highway stretch in Dibrugarh, Assam. The C-130J Super Hercules aircraft carrying the PM touched down smoothly at around 10:30 AM on the Moran Bypass – a 4.2 km reinforced section of National Highway-2 – marking the first such operation by a prime ministerial flight in the region.

The ELF, developed under the Modi government’s Highways for Defence initiative, allows fighter jets like Rafale and Sukhoi-30, transport planes, and helicopters to operate during emergencies, wars, or natural disasters. Assam’s facility is the first of five planned in the state and part of 28 nationwide. Rehearsals by IAF aircraft had already demonstrated touch-and-go maneuvers, underscoring its operational readiness.

Thousands gathered along the highway, waving tricolours as Rafale and Sukhoi jets roared overhead in a 30-40 minute aerial display. PM Modi, flanked by top defence officials, witnessed the spectacle, hailing it as a “game-changer for Northeast security and disaster response.”