Northeast Desk, 20th November: In response to reports of an unidentified flying object (UFO) near Imphal airport in Manipur, the Indian Air Force dispatched two Rafale fighter jets from the Hasimara air base. Despite a thorough search, the jets could not confirm the presence of the UFO, leading to the activation of the Air Defence response mechanism by the Eastern Command of the Indian Air Force.
The initial aircraft returned to base, and a second Rafale was deployed to reevaluate the situation, but no conclusive findings were reported. Flight operations at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport were temporarily halted, causing delays and diversions, including an IndiGo flight redirected to Guwahati.
The UFO, visible with the naked eye, was observed moving westwards above the airfield until 4 pm. While the incident sparked a pause in flight operations, no further sightings or clarifications have been provided as of now.