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Three Russian military aircraft landed at Uttar Pradesh’s Noida Airport for the first time, marking the first landing by foreign aircraft at the newly operational facility. The arrival of the aircraft is being linked to preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India and the BRICS Summit. There is speculation that Putin’s aircraft could also land at Noida Airport, with the airport management making arrangements for the possibility.

All three military aircraft landed on the airport’s runway at around 5:30 am on Tuesday. One of them was the Russian military transport aircraft IL-76. A Russian advance team and military officials arrived in India aboard the aircraft.

The three aircraft remained parked on the runway throughout Wednesday. Foreign military aircraft visiting India have traditionally landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Airport security officials and Russian teams are monitoring the aircraft and overseeing security arrangements.

BRICS Summit On September 12-13

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Several heads of state are expected to attend the summit, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The landing of the Russian military aircraft is linked to international protocol and preparations for the visit. Their arrival at Noida Airport has also increased speculation that the Russian president’s aircraft could land at the facility.

Noida International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28 this year. Commercial flight operations began on June 15, with the first flight operating from Noida to Lucknow.

The airport initially handled 12 flights a day, a number that has since increased to around 30-35 flights daily. At present, only domestic flights are operating from the airport, while international services are yet to begin and are expected to start soon.