IAF Chief visits Adampur airbase, a first since Operation Sindoor
IAF chief flew an operational formation sortie with the squadron ‘First Supersonics’ onboard a MiG-29UPG fighter jet from the airbase
Ten months after Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Thursday made a first visit to Adampur to review the functioning of a forward base in Punjab.
The IAF chief flew an operational formation sortie with the squadron ‘First Supersonics’ onboard a MiG-29UPG fighter jet from the airbase.
The ‘First Supersonics’ are based at Adampur near Jallandhar. The base was in lead during operation Sindoor ( May 7-10) for carrying out some of the most-talked-about air defence operations against Pakistan.
The critical IAF maintains three squadrons of upgraded MiG-29s -- MiG-29 UPGs -- primarily deployed in the western and northern sectors.
The Air Chief Marshal undertook a 45-minute sortie in the fighter jet. Flight Lieutenant Parvinder Singh led the formation while the Commanding Officer on the ‘First Supersonics’ briefed the Chief about the operational role and the enhanced capabilities of the MiG-29 UPG platform.
The IAF Chief also interacted with aircrew, technicians, and ground personnel. “He acknowledged the critical role played by technical and support staff in ensuring sustained operational readiness of combat platforms,” IAF officials said.
MiG-29 UPG squadrons had played a vital role in air defence throughout the nearly 88-hour Operation Sindoor last year.
The aircraft, upgraded in collaboration with Russia under a 2008 contract, features advanced radar, extended range through additional fuel tanks, and modern avionics, the officials said.
The upgrade was completed around 2022, enhancing the air power capabilities of the IAF.
The Indian Air Force Chief also reviewed the overall operational preparedness of the command, including infrastructure, crew readiness, and aircraft maintenance standards at the key base, according to officials.
Notably, on May 13, just three days after Pakistan sought a ceasefire during operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stood at the base, with the S-400 air defence system and the MiG 29 jets forming the backdrop— symbolic of India’s growing air defence capabilities and the enduring resilience of its armed forces in protecting the strategically located airbase.
Adampur is crucial.
Pakistan’s attempts to strike it have consistently ended in failure. During the 1965 war, 135 Pakistani special services group (SSG) commandos were parachuted into three locations near the airbase. A hastily assembled Indian force —including the Punjab Armed Police (PAP), vehicles from the NCC unit in Ludhiana, and 80-100 soldiers from an Army unit — swiftly captured them.
In the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Adampur was not hit even once. During the 1999 Kargil conflict, Mirage jets of the IAF’s 7 Squadron flying from Adampur conducted key strikes on Tiger Hill, Muntho Dhalo, and Tololing — further reinforcing the base’s role in India’s air operations. During Operation Sindoor, the base was not hit.
