As China intensified its brazen effort to emphasise its claim over India’s Arunachal Pradesh, President Droupadi Murmu opted to fly her maiden sortie in an Indian Air Force fighter jet from the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday, April 8. The President undertook a sortie during her three-day visit to the state as Supreme Commander of the defence forces.
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu lands at Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam after taking a sortie in the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft pic.twitter.com/xRnjERbEnv
— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2023
Group Captain Naveen Kumar Tiwari flew her in a Sukhoi-30 MKI that took off from the Indian Air Force base in Tezpur in Assam.
Murmu, who is on a three-day trip to Assam, reached Tezpur from Guwahati. She was received at the air base by Air Marshal S P Dharkar, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Several visuals have emerged from the Tezpur airbase in Assam, where President Droupadi Murmu chose to fly her maiden sortie on the Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi-Su 30MKI combat aircraft.
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu will make a sortie on the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft today; Visuals from Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam pic.twitter.com/CBBFmdlwQt
— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2023
President Droupadi Murmu lands at Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam after taking a sortie in the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft. pic.twitter.com/WBOx35SpPb
— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2023
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu lands at Tezpur Air Force Station, Assam after taking a sortie in the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft pic.twitter.com/LqaNkdQYcl
— ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2023
The decision to fly Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft from Assam’s Tezpur Air Force Station holds a lot of significance considering it coincides with China’s recent brazen move to rename some places in Arunachal Pradesh, which India has categorically rejected.
The Tezpur air base is among the major bases in the northeast region where the Sukhoi-30 MKI jets are stationed to counter the Chinese threat. Notably, the headquarters of the IV Corps of the Indian Army is also located in Tezpur.
India rejects China’s attempt to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh
On April 4, OpIndia reported that China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs announced the names of 11 places on Sunday (April 2) and also gave precise coordinates, including two residential areas, five mountain peaks, two rivers and two other areas. China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs also listed the category of places’ names and their subordinate administrative districts. India, however, outrightly rejected China’s attempt to rename places of Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Tuesday. He asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral part of India.
Now, by flying a sortie on Sukhoi 30 fighter jet from the Tezpur airfield, which is extremely significant because of its proximity to the Sino-Indian border, India is once again giving an oblique signal of its readiness to counter China’s nefarious intents and military aggressiveness along India’s Northern boundary.
Tezpur Air Force Base and its Significance
The Tezpur Air Force station was constructed by the British Royal Indian Air Force during the Second World War in 1942. It subsequently developed into a full-fledged air force base in 1959. Since its inception, it has been one of the most active bases in the Northeast with a variety of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft operating from here.
The first aircraft that flew at this base were Vampires and Toofani 101 reconnaissance squadron. In fact, in the last 25 years, it was home to the MiG-21 fleet which was used extensively to train rookie pilots for the Indian Air Force. The aircraft continues to serve the air force, operating from other bases in the Northeast. Over a period of time, the Station has been home to a range of frontline fighters.
In 2009, the IAF inducted four Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft into its Eastern Air Command in Tezpur, Assam, in the presence of Eastern Air Commander Air Marshal S.K. Bhan. Besides, the SU-30 MKI squadron, a squadron of Akash Missile was also introduced to the Tezpur Air Force base, while Brahmos missiles were expected to be inducted into the base.
The Tezpur Air Force station is located at a distance of 172 km from the China border, 146 km from the Myanmar border and 160 km from the Bangladesh border. Due to its strategic position, it is easy for the Indian air force to keep a close watch on Chinese military activities from the Tezpur air base.
In fact, last year, after the clash between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force (IAF) held a two-day exercise from bases Tezpur, Chhabua, Jorhat in Assam and Hashimara in West Bengal. The exercise involved all IAF combat aircraft close to the front line and other resources deployed in the region. The purpose of the exercise is also to test the combat capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and display its preparedness to tackle escalation from the opposing side.
This well-thought-of decision to fly a sortie from the Tezpur Air Base amid China’s new stand on Arunachal Pradesh is yet another example of exemplary sharpness and responsiveness of Droupadi Murmu, India’s first President from the tribal community, who represents limitless possibilities and a million dreams.
Droupadi Murmu was elected as India’s 15th President in July 2022. This appointment was marked by a slew of firsts. This was a historic first in which a woman from a tribal background assumed India’s highest office. We have so many reasons to feel proud as Indians!
When Droupadi Murmu took the oath of office as India’s President, we witnessed history being made. Our new President, on the other hand, took the oath of office after a protracted period of struggle. Her successes and setbacks are a result of her hard work and dedication.
There is a lot to learn and take away from Droupadi Murmu’s story. She is a message of hope for millions of people in this country. A tribal girl from the region in Odisha that is called ‘backward’ and ‘undeveloped’, struggling with personal losses, rising from the grassroots level and becoming who she is is no mean feat. But that feat is possible. Achievable. President Murmu is a symbol of power and hope, not just for her community, but for all of us. She is a message to every little girl in this country that nothing is beyond their reach.
