Sikkim’s Pakyong airport, witness the first landing of an AN-32 class of aircraft on its runway on Wednesday, which is one of the highest airfields in India and located around 60 km away from the India-China border.
Four months after the inauguration of the airfield by Prime Minister Narendra Modi , the military aircraft landed here with the purpose of boosting the land-locked state’s connectivity with rest of the country. Wing Commander SK Singh took the lead of the flight.
The Pakyong airport is situated at the elevation of 4,500 feet above sea level. On the landing of the first IAF transport aircraft here, one of the senior IAF official said that
this is the first landing of an AN-32 class of aircraft at this airfield, which is one of the highest airfields in India.
In September last year, at the inaugural function of the airfield, PM stated that the project would emphasize on enhancing infrastructural and emotional connectivity in the north eastern region of India.
Before An-32, the first IAF aircraft that landed at the airport was a Dornier ,last year.
Commenting positively on the landing of An-32, the Defence PRO said, “The attempt will encourage the mobility of troops and materials in this region.”
A few days back, ahead of Sikkim, it was Tezu Airport of Arunachal pradesh where the IAF has landed its C-130J and Antonov-32 planes for the first time and Sikkim is the second such effort by the IAF. Also in March last year, the IAF’s largest transport aircraft — C-17 Globemaster – had landed at Arunachal Pradesh’s Tuting airfield which is close to the China border.
