Delhi's Palam Airbase To Welcome Air Force One, 70 VVIP Jets For G20

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has made "special arrangements" to land Air Force One and nearly 70 VVIP aircraft at the Palam Technical Airport - an airbase - when world leaders begin arriving in India for the mega G20 Summit later this week. Four other airports - identified as "reserved airports" - have been marked for any contingencies, officials said.

"Starting September 7, the Indian Air Force fighter planes will be on standby to keep a close watch on any suspicious activity in the Delhi sky, including of UAVs or drones," a senior functionary in the government said.

"Contingency arrangements have been made in Lucknow, Jaipur, Indore, and Amritsar as well," he added.

Dr PK Mishra, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena oversaw the arrangements at Palam Technical Airport.

The four reserved airports were identified at a high-level meeting with officials from the Union Home Ministry, the Intelligence Bureau, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

"The Air Traffic Control has been directed to be on high alert during the G20 Summit and closely monitor all flights entering Delhi. In case of any emergency situation, flights will be diverted to any of the four other airports that are part of the contingency plan," another senior official handling G20 security arrangements said.

"The VIPs will land at the technical airport but aircraft and private jets carrying them will be parked at the Delhi airport. Special arrangements have been made to park the Air Force One and a few other important aircraft at the Palam Air Force Station. The station is under the security of the Air Force," a senior officer from the Ministry of Defence told NDTV.

"All these VVIP aircraft will be parked in Bay-1 and Bay-3 of the Delhi airport as they are very close to the ceremonial lounge," a senior official explained.

According to him, parking spaces have been identified at the airport, Terminal-1, and the cargo terminal. "Around 18 aircraft will be accommodated at the Palam base," he added.

"For the G20 Summit, we have already made provisions for the required parking of aircraft at Delhi Airport. Our top priority remains ensuring a smooth and efficient travel experience for all," he further said.

The Delhi Airport boasts an impressive parking capacity of 72 charter aircraft, along with a dedicated terminal. The DIAL officials maintained that the current flight cancellations were not linked to the availability of parking spaces for aircraft.

"We have received requests from airlines for the cancellation of approximately 80 arrivals and 80 departures as of now. However, we are committed to working closely with airlines to minimize any inconvenience caused to passengers," stated an official.

"We want to reassure all travellers that the Delhi Airport is fully equipped with ample parking for aircraft. Despite the cancellations, we are pleased to report that the restrictions will not impact international flights. The cancellations only account for approximately six per cent of the normal domestic operations at the Delhi Airport over the span of three days," he added.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have made extensive arrangements for world leaders to travel from the airport to their respective hotels where they would be staying during the Summit.