IAF Stuns Varanasi Skies at Grand Air Show with PM Modi
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur hailed a grand Indian Air Force air show over Varanasi on 25 October 2026, staged in the presence of PM Narendra Modi. He described the spectacle as 'the Ganga on earth, the Tricolour in the sky' above eternal Kashi.
Key Takeaways
The Indian Air Force conducted a grand air show over Varanasi on 25 October 2026 .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the event in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi.
BJP MP Anurag Thakur shared a video of the display on X, describing it as an 'extraordinary performance.' Thakur's post used the phrase 'धरा पर गंगा, आकाश में तिरंगा' — 'the Ganga on earth, the Tricolour in the sky' — to capture the moment.
Varanasi has frequently hosted major national-level events during the current government's tenure.
IAF air shows serve both defence outreach and public awareness goals across Indian cities.
The ancient ghats of Kashi witnessed a spectacle that merged the eternal and the aerial on Sunday, 25 October 2026 — the Indian Air Force painted the skies over Varanasi with a breathtaking display of precision flying in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP MP Anurag Thakur captured the moment on X, calling it a magnificent convergence of river and sky.
Thakur posted in Hindi: 'धरा पर गंगा, आकाश में तिरंगा' — 'the Ganga on earth, the Tricolour in the sky' — as he saluted the IAF's 'extraordinary performance' at the grand air show during PM Modi's visit to 'eternal Kashi'. The phrase is as poetic as the imagery it describes: fighter jets tracing the Tricolour's colours high above one of the world's oldest living cities.
Varanasi's skies turn into a canvas
The Indian Air Force regularly stages public air shows across major Indian cities to demonstrate operational capability and build citizen connect with the armed forces. Varanasi — PM Modi's own Lok Sabha constituency — has repeatedly served as a stage for landmark national programmes during the current government's tenure, and Sunday's air show followed that tradition at scale.
The city of Kashi carries layered symbolism: it is simultaneously the PM's political heartland and one of Hinduism's most sacred pilgrimage centres, where the Ganga flows with a permanence that outlasts empires. Framing IAF jets above it as a 'Tricolour in the sky' is a deliberate, resonant image — strength and culture, history and modernity, all in one frame.
IAF's public outreach and PM Modi's Varanasi presence
Air shows of this kind serve a dual purpose for the Indian Air Force: they project hard-power confidence to a domestic and international audience, and they bring the institution closer to ordinary citizens who rarely see frontline aircraft up close. When staged in the PM's constituency, the political symbolism is hard to miss — but the military spectacle stands on its own terms.
Thakur, a former Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, has consistently used his platform to amplify moments of national pride — from sporting victories to defence milestones. His post, accompanied by a video of the display, reached a wide audience almost instantly.
The Ganga flows on below. The jets have moved on. But for the people of Varanasi who looked up on Sunday, the Tricolour lingered a little longer in the sky.
Point of View
Where ancient continuity and modern capability are deliberately placed side by side. For the Indian Air Force, civilian-facing displays in politically significant cities help sustain public goodwill for defence modernisation budgets and recruitment. Anurag Thakur's amplification of the moment underscores how defence pride and political messaging increasingly travel together on social media.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the IAF air show in Varanasi on 25 October 2026?
The Indian Air Force staged a grand aerial display over Varanasi on 25 October 2026 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi . BJP MP Anurag Thakur shared a video of the event on X, describing it as a magnificent show above 'eternal Kashi.'
Why was PM Modi in Varanasi for the air show?
Varanasi is PM Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency . He was present at the event, which formed part of the air show proceedings. Varanasi has regularly hosted major national-level programmes during his tenure.
What does 'धरा पर गंगा, आकाश में तिरंगा' mean?
The Hindi phrase means 'the Ganga on earth, the Tricolour in the sky.' BJP MP Anurag Thakur used it to describe the visual of IAF jets performing above the sacred river city of Varanasi, evoking both national pride and the city's spiritual identity.
Does the Indian Air Force hold regular air shows in India?
Yes. The Indian Air Force periodically conducts public air shows in major Indian cities to demonstrate operational capabilities, build public awareness of defence, and strengthen citizen connect with the armed forces.
Who is Anurag Thakur and why did he post about the Varanasi air show?
Anurag Thakur is a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh and a former Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports. He regularly uses social media to amplify moments of national pride, including defence and sports milestones.
