Varanasi, 25 October (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi on Sunday morning, receiving a ceremonial welcome at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport ahead of a packed schedule featuring industrial inauguration and an Indian Air Force aerial display over the Ganga.

The Prime Minister was received on the airport apron by Uttar Pradesh Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Varanasi district in-charge Suresh Khanna, alongside other elected representatives, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionaries and senior district officials, who welcomed him with bouquets upon the arrival of his special aircraft.

PM Modi subsequently departed for Khochawan in the Mirzamurad area aboard an Indian Air Force helicopter. During his visit, he is scheduled to inaugurate a new manufacturing facility of Arvind Limited and witness the ‘Wings Over Ganga’ air show at Namo Ghat, where military aircraft will perform aerial manoeuvres above the river.

The aerial spectacle forms part of the Air Force Day Aerial Display 2026, organised to commemorate the Indian Air Force’s 94th anniversary. The concluding day of the programme is expected to feature fighter aircraft, helicopters and other aircraft demonstrating their operational capabilities over the Ganga. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries are also expected to attend.

Extensive security arrangements have been implemented across the city in view of the Prime Minister’s approximately four-and-a-half-hour visit. The venues and surrounding areas have been designated no-fly zones, while security personnel have been deployed on the rooftops of nearby buildings. Surveillance has been intensified through CCTV cameras and drones to monitor movement and activities around the designated locations and along the Prime Minister’s travel routes.

A key component of the visit is the inauguration of Arvind Limited’s new industrial facility at Khochawan, which is expected to strengthen the region’s manufacturing base and generate employment opportunities for local residents.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to interact with approximately 300 women who have completed training for employment at the facility, hear about their experiences and discuss the opportunities created by the project. The unit is expected to employ around 1,000 local women, providing a significant boost to women’s workforce participation and livelihood opportunities in the area.

Developed under the Uttar Pradesh government’s investment promotion initiative, Invest UP, the facility has been established across seven acres at an estimated investment of Rs 150 crore. It will manufacture a range of apparel, including undergarments, T-shirts, shorts and lower garments, with plans to supply products to international markets.

Beyond its manufacturing operations, the facility is intended to support workforce development by equipping local women with industry-specific skills and providing access to formal employment. The initiative is expected to contribute to the region’s industrial expansion while strengthening the state’s efforts to attract investment and promote employment-led economic growth.

The Prime Minister’s engagements in Varanasi combine a focus on industrial development and women’s economic participation with a high-profile public display of the Indian Air Force’s capabilities, placing manufacturing investment and national defence in the spotlight during his visit.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar