Maiden landing near China border by IAF Su-30

Sending strong signals to China, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on August 19 this year landed a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet at the newly upgraded Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. The new ALG was inaugurated by Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju in the presence of Air Marshal C. Hari Kumar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Com- mand. The ALG, which is located very close to the Sino-Indian border, has been made operational for all kinds of fighter and transport aircraft. A flypast by a formation of three Sukhoi-30MKI air dominance fighter jets that took off from the Sukhoi base at Tezpur in Assam was the main highlight of the event. Singer Asha Bhosle was the special guest at the inauguration.