Hindon Air Force Station, now one of the Indian Air Force’s most prominent bases, has a story unlike any other. Surprisingly, it was never meant to be a military airfield at all. Its journey from a planned civil airport to a strategic IAF hub is a fascinating tale of necessity, adaptation, and foresight.
Back in the 1960s, Palam Airfield — which we now know as Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport — was primarily a military base with a small civil enclave. It also housed the Headquarters of the Operations Command. But as India’s skies began to buzz with the new generation of commercial jets like the Comet and Boeing 707, the once-manageable air traffic at Palam quickly became overwhelming.
To ease the pressure, the government decided to build a new civil airport near Ghaziabad, on the eastern side of the Yamuna River. The idea was visionary — a modern airport dedicated solely to civilian flights, freeing Palam for defence operations. Construction began, and hopes were high.
However, fate had other plans. As the project neared completion, a critical flaw emerged — connectivity. The only bridge linking the site to Delhi was the old steel bridge near Red Fort, a narrow and overburdened route. Building new bridges required funds that simply didn’t exist at the time. Without proper access, the grand civil aviation dream started to crumble.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) soon lost enthusiasm for the project, leaving a nearly finished airfield without a clear purpose. That’s when the Indian Air Force stepped in. The half-built civilian airport was handed over to the IAF, which transformed it into a fully functional airbase.
On June 1, 1965, Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh inaugurated the 28 Wing at Hindon, officially marking the birth of Hindon Air Force Station. What began as a civilian project had now become a key military installation — one that would later host powerful aircraft, ceremonial parades, and national celebrations.
Interestingly, because of its civilian origins, Hindon had a few quirks. Unlike other airbases maintained by the Military Engineer Services (MES), Hindon’s infrastructure was managed by the Public Works Department (PWD) — a rare distinction that, according to some accounts, continues even today.
From an abandoned civil dream to a symbol of India’s air power, Hindon Air Force Station stands as a reminder that sometimes, history’s best outcomes are born from unexpected turns.