Prime Minister Narendra Modi boarded a helicopter from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport and landed at Mirzamurad in Varanasi on Sunday, October 25, 2026. There, he cut the ribbon for a new Arvind Ltd garment unit that will manufacture ready‑to‑wear apparel for domestic and overseas markets. Hours later, the same aircraft ferried him to the Police Lines and onto the banks of the Ganges, where the Indian Air Force’s Wings over Ganges show was in full swing.
The three‑day spectacle, which commemorates the IAF’s 94th anniversary, featured a mix of imported Sukhoi‑30 MKI jets, indigenous Tejas fighters and LCH Prachand drones, as well as Mi‑17 helicopters forming a tricolour‑colored V. The Surya Kiran aerobatic team executed high‑precision maneuvers while the Sarang helicopter display thrilled spectators with tight turns and loops.
In the crowds along the route from the police lines to Namo Ghat, BJP volunteers and local residents handed rose petals to the prime minister, chanting ‘Har Har Mahadev’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’. A schoolteacher from a nearby village said seeing the jets in the sky made him feel proud of his country and inspired him to encourage his students to consider a career in the armed forces.
Arvind’s chief executive, Dr. R. K. Sharma, told reporters that the new unit will add 300 jobs, 80% of which will be held by women, and will help the company tap into the growing demand for high‑quality Indian textiles in Europe and the Middle East. Modi, meanwhile, highlighted the project as part of a larger effort to boost Uttar Pradesh’s industrial base.
The IAF’s Wings over Ganges show will conclude at midnight, after which Modi is scheduled to meet with industry leaders in Varanasi to discuss future collaborations between the armed forces and the textile sector.