India, Oct. 12 -- The air force station at Chandigarh came into existence nearly seven decades ago. Established to provide air support to the armed forces in the northern sector, it soon became one of the most vital operational bases of the Indian Air Force (IAF). In its formative years, the base operated the AN-12-a four-engine transport aircraft that holds a distinguished place in Indian military aviation.

For many years, Chandigarh remained an exclusive IAF base. Until 1970, only military aircraft operated from its runway. However, with growing public demand and political pressure from Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, civil aviation operations were gradually introduced in the 1970s. These flights were initially restricted to Del...