Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today announced that the central government has given its nod to set up an Air Force base at Deesa in the Banaskantha district in the state near the India-Pakistan border.
"Glad to announce that the Central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendramodi ji has given a nod for making Deesa an airbase of the Indian Air force," Rupani tweeted.
The Deesa airport is currently managed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). However, it has been non-operational for long, said a top AAI official, adding that no passenger flight operator has come forward to start operations from Deesa under the Centre's regional air connectivity scheme.
Defence experts believe that the new airbase will prove crucial in responding to any threat along the western border.
"In air warfare, it is necessary to have alternative options in close vicinity for landing and taking off. This is very important as we are close to the border. If one airstrip is damaged, the Air Force can use another. The Deesa airbase would provide that alternative," said Brigadier (retd) Jahangir Anklesaria.
"This new airbase would become a part of a network of airstrips which can be used during war. While the Bhuj and Naliya airbases in Kutch are close to Deesa, we have Jaipur, Jodhpur and Barmer in Rajasthan. Such options in close vicinity would give us the upper hand," he added.
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