India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the Deesa airfield, less than 130 km from the Pakistan border, aimed at boosting the country's “security architecture.”
Noting Deesa’s proximity to the Pakistan Air Force base in Jacobabad, Modi stressed that the country's armed forces are now better prepared to respond to any “misadventure at the western borders.”
“After [assuming leadership], we decided to set up an operational base in Deesa, and this expectation of our forces is being fulfilled today. This region will now become an effective center of security of the country,” Modi added.
The Deesa airbase, set to be built at a cost of around $200 million and become operational by 2024, will complement the nine airbases currently operational in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The new airfield will plug a crucial gap between forward air bases at Naliya, Bhuj in Gujarat, and Phalodi in Rajasthan. It will also protect the country’s major industrial zones and refineries from potential attacks.