Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], March 10 (HBTV): The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday deployed a Mi-17 V5 helicopter to battle a major forest fire in the Mebo and Sigar areas of Pasighat, releasing 66,000 litres of water to contain the flames.
In a post on X, the IAF shared images and videos of the widespread blaze and the aerial firefighting operation carried out by the helicopter.
'#IAF demonstrated rapid response and operational precision in Arunachal Pradesh, deploying a Mi-17 V5 helicopter to battle a major forest fire in the Mebo and Sigar areas of Pasighat. Over multiple sorties, the IAF released 66,000 litres of water to contain the blaze and protect nearby habitations,' the post read.
Earlier, on February 18, the Indian Air Force battled wildfires on two separate fronts in the Northeast, deploying heavy-lift helicopters in difficult terrain and extreme flying conditions.
At Walong in Arunachal Pradesh, IAF helicopters successfully extinguished a major blaze after dropping 139,800 litres of water over the affected area.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army conducted a joint exercise on March 8, 2026, demonstrating their operational capabilities with combat free-fall and static line para-drops over Tehri Lake in Uttarakhand.
The exercise showcased inter-service coordination and highlighted the forces' ability to operate together effectively.
'On 08 Mar 26, #IAF aircraft carried out combat free-fall and static line para-drops over Tehri Lake in a joint exercise with the Indian Army. The exercise showcased seamless inter-service synergy and operational capability,' the IAF said.
(ANI)