In a major boost for the IAF, the country's sky-guarding force now has a pan-India Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) network with the activation of a highway strip in the Kashmir Valley.
"ELF operations provide an opportunity for IAF aircraft to undertake operations from such restricted landing surfaces while also being able to undertake Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Relief operations during times of natural calamities to provide succor and relief," the IAF said in a statement on Thursday.
The construction of ELFs across the country has been a major focus for the IAF. They allow it to land its aircraft and helicopters on roads, helping it carry out emergency missions, especially during humanitarian crises like floods or landslides.
Earlier this year the IAF activated an ELF in Andhra Pradesh, marking a milestone in the development of such strips in South India.
The first-ever ELF was built in the Barmer district of Rajasthan state in September 2021, with several additions being made across India in subsequent months.
Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state that shares borders with the national capital New Delhi, even has ELFs on high-speed highways like the Ganga Expressway and Purvanchal Expressway.