Kishan Reddy: PM Modi witnesses IAF Aerial Display in Varanasi
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy shared a live broadcast on Sunday, 25 October 2026, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed an Indian Air Force aerial display held in Varanasi — the Prime Minister's own parliamentary constituency.
PM Modi in Varanasi for the IAF aerial showcase
Varanasi, one of India's oldest cities and Modi's Lok Sabha seat, served as the backdrop for a live aerial demonstration by the Indian Air Force. Kishan Reddy's post flagged the event as it unfolded, linking to the live broadcast and tagging the Prime Minister. The display brought IAF's operational theatre directly to the Prime Minister's home turf.
The Indian Air Force was formally constituted on 8 October 1932 and marks its annual Air Force Day with aerial parades and flypasts. Hosting a high-profile display in Varanasi continues a broader pattern of staging military demonstrations at locations carrying political and cultural weight — amplifying both national pride and public outreach.
Why Varanasi, why now
Prime Ministers attending IAF events sends a direct signal of political backing for the armed forces and their modernisation agenda. Varanasi — steeped in history, dense with symbolism, and home to one of India's most watched constituencies — makes the setting doubly resonant. Every roar of a fighter jet over the Ganga carries its own message about Indian air power.
The IAF has been at the centre of India's defence modernisation push, with indigenous platforms and next-generation capabilities steadily expanding its fleet. A live public display keeps that narrative front and centre for ordinary citizens far from air-base perimeters.