In an effort to boost the capabilities of the IAF to meet any challenge from Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for a new airbase at Deesa in Banaskantha district of north Gujarat near the border. He said it will emerge as an effective centre for the country's security.
The airbase is 130 km from international border and when it is likely to be operational by 2024, the base will bridge the gap between Bhuj and Uttarlai, Rajasthan. The forward airbase will come up in two phases with a total cost of more than Rs 1,000 crores.
The airfield will thwart any attempt by the adversary to target Gujarat or other parts of south –western sector and can launch offensive action against enemy aircraft taking off from Hyderabad, Karachi and Sukkur in Pakistan.
Laying the foundation of this critical asset, the Prime Minister said after his government came to power, they decided to set up an operational base in Deesa, and "this expectation of our forces is being fulfilled today". "The international border is just 130 km away, If our forces, especially the Air Force, will be in Deesa, we shall be able to respond in a much better way to any challenge on the western border," he said.
Modi said for this airfield, Gujarat had given land way back in 2000, and as the then chief minister he tried his best for its construction and explained this to the then central government about its importance. "But nothing happened for 14 years," he said. "So many question marks were put on files that it took time to put things into the right perspective even after I went there (at the Centre).
After we formed the government, we decided to make an operational base in Deesa and the expectations of our forces are being met today," he said.