Varanasi is used to crowds on its ghats for the evening aarti. On Sunday, people on those same stone steps were looking up instead, as fighter jets, helicopters and aerobatic teams roared over the Ganga.
The Indian Air Force wrapped up its “Wings Over Ganges” aerial display at Namo Ghat in Varanasi on October 25, 2026, the final day of a three-day show marking the IAF’s 94th anniversary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi watched the finale along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, according to ETV Bharat.
Quick Facts
- What: Indian Air Force Day Aerial Display 2026, themed “Wings Over Ganges”
- Who: IAF, with Indian Navy and Indian Army aircraft also taking part; PM Modi and Rajnath Singh attended
- When: October 22, 24 and 25, 2026; Sunday was the concluding day
- Where: Namo Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Key numbers: About 100 aircraft including 52 fighters and 15 transport planes (PTI); around 11,900 police and security personnel deployed
- Display teams: Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and Sarang Helicopter Display Team
What Flew Over the Ganga at the Varanasi Air Show
The line-up read like a who’s who of the IAF’s frontline fleet. Reports from the final day list the Rafale, the Su-30MKI, the home-grown Tejas light combat aircraft and the Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, along with transport aircraft.
Before the show, a PTI report put the total at around 100 aircraft, including 52 fighter jets and 15 transport planes, and said the MiG-29, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar were also expected to fly. Aircraft from the Navy and the Army joined in, which The Week and ETV Bharat said was meant to highlight how the three services operate together.
The crowd favourites were, as usual, the display teams. The Surya Kiran jets, known for their tight formation loops and smoke trails, and the Sarang helicopter team both performed. Sarang had already been seen practising over the river during full-dress rehearsals earlier in the week, according to All India Radio.
Modi later posted on X, calling the Varanasi air show “Magnificent!” Rajnath Singh said the display showed the valour and strength of the Air Force, ETV Bharat reported.
Why the IAF Took Air Force Day 2026 to Varanasi
The IAF marks its founding day on October 8 every year, but in recent years it has moved its big public flypast out of Delhi to different cities, giving people who rarely see military aircraft up close a chance to watch. This year the chosen stage was the riverfront in Varanasi, which is also the Prime Minister’s Lok Sabha constituency.
A wide river with open ghats on one side makes a natural viewing gallery. Officials had planned for a very large turnout: PTI reported that 15 to 20 lakh spectators were expected across the three days, while All India Radio put the estimate at around 20 lakh. Actual attendance figures for Sunday have not been officially released yet.
Security, Traffic and Crowd Plan at Namo Ghat
Hosting lakhs of people on narrow ghats along with VVIPs takes planning. Varanasi Police Commissioner Mohit Agrawal’s team set up 79 temporary police stations and deployed about 11,900 personnel, PTI reported. PAC, NDRF, SDRF, bomb disposal squads and the ATS were on duty, with anti-drone systems and cyber teams on alert.
Some of the other arrangements announced before the show:
- Private boats were barred on the Ganga from 8 am to 5 pm on show days.
- Drone flights were banned within 5 km on both sides of the ghats.
- Double barricading ran along roughly 5.5 km of riverfront, with separate entry and exit routes for each zone.
- Eight temporary hospitals, 100 ambulances (including two water ambulances) and three green corridors were kept ready, with BHU’s Sir Sunderlal Hospital and Trauma Centre on standby.
- Visitors from other districts were directed to parking in the Ramnagar-Padav area.
PM Modi’s Busy Day: Roadshow, Garment Plant and More
The air show was only one stop on the Prime Minister’s schedule. Earlier on Sunday he inaugurated a new garment manufacturing facility of Arvind Limited in Varanasi and spoke with women workers there. The PMO described the unit as a mainly women-led project and “a powerful symbol of women-led development”.
On his way to Namo Ghat, Modi held a roadshow that drew large crowds, ETV Bharat reported. Later in the day he was scheduled to fly to Bhubaneswar to open the Reserve Bank of India’s new Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute.
A Political Note in the Run-Up
The event was not entirely free of politics. Congress leader Ajay Rai objected to air show passes carrying photos and names of BJP public representatives while Legislative Council elections are under way, and asked the Election Commission to act, PTI reported. “The Air Force belongs to the country, not to any political party,” he said. There has been no reported response from the Election Commission so far.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- How many people actually turned up on the final day. Outlets have used very different descriptions, and no official count is out.
- The exact number of aircraft that flew on Sunday. Pre-show reports ranged from about 94 to 100.
- Where next year’s Air Force Day display will be held.
What This Means for You
If you missed it, keep an eye on the IAF’s official social media handles, which usually post highlight videos after the Air Force Day display. If you are in Varanasi, check Varanasi Police updates before heading towards the ghats, since several diversions and barricades were put in place for the show.
For students and aviation fans, these shows are also a rare chance to see the Tejas and Prachand, both built in India, flying next to imported jets like the Rafale.
Our Take
Taking the Air Force Day flypast to different cities is a good idea. A Surya Kiran loop over the Ganga at Varanasi is the kind of sight that makes a teenager in the crowd look up an IAF recruitment page that night. The bigger test is keeping such events about the armed forces and not about anyone’s campaign posters.
FAQs
What is Wings Over Ganges?
It is the theme of the Indian Air Force Day Aerial Display 2026, a three-day air show held at Namo Ghat in Varanasi on October 22, 24 and 25 to mark the IAF’s 94th anniversary.
Which aircraft took part in the Varanasi air show?
Reports list the Rafale, Su-30MKI, Tejas, LCH Prachand and transport aircraft, plus the Surya Kiran and Sarang display teams. Navy and Army aircraft also flew.
Did PM Modi attend the IAF air show?
Yes. PM Modi watched the concluding show on October 25 with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and later called it “Magnificent!” on X.
When is Indian Air Force Day?
Air Force Day is marked on October 8 each year. The 2026 public aerial display was held later in October in Varanasi.
For official updates, see the Indian Air Force website and All India Radio’s report on the show.
Based on reporting by ETV Bharat, The Week, PTI (via ThePrint) and All India Radio.
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