The Rajasthan High Court has approved the acquisition of land for a proposed Indian Air Force (IAF) Forward Composite Aviation Base (FCAB) in Sriganganagar district, despite strong opposition from local farmers. The project, located close to the India–Pakistan border, is aimed at strengthening the Air Force’s ability to respond quickly in border-related situations.

The decision was delivered on Thursday by a single-judge Bench of Justice Dr Nupur Bhati. The court rejected a petition filed by 58 farmers who had challenged the land acquisition process, alleging violations of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The judge described the petition as a “bundle of technical excuses” and ruled in favour of the Ministry of Defence and the Rajasthan government.

The proposed aviation base will be developed over a total area of 132.825 hectares. According to the government, the project will enhance the Air Force’s operational readiness and reaction speed, especially given the strategic importance of the area due to its proximity to the international border with Pakistan.

The land acquisition has affected 162 farmers in total, out of whom 58 approached the high court. These farmers argued that the acquisition process did not follow the provisions laid down under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. They also raised concerns about inadequate compensation and the absence of a proper rehabilitation plan.

In their petition, the farmers claimed that the compensation offered by the government was significantly lower than the prevailing market rate of land in the area. They further stressed that a rehabilitation and resettlement plan should have been prepared and approved, which, according to them, was not done.

The petitioners also questioned the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) conducted for the project. They alleged that the assessment was biased in favour of the military and did not fairly consider the impact of the land acquisition on farmers’ livelihoods. According to them, the SIA failed to reflect the ground realities and the long-term economic impact on those dependent on agriculture.

Local farmers have expressed fear that even if they are not physically displaced from their homes, losing agricultural land would force them to either shift to non-farming occupations or buy farmland elsewhere, which may not be affordable.

The state government and the Ministry of Defence strongly defended the land acquisition. They maintained that none of the 162 affected farmers would be displaced from their homes and that their primary source of livelihood would not be affected. On this basis, the government argued that rehabilitation was not required in this case.

The government also told the court that the Social Impact Assessment was carried out strictly in accordance with guidelines issued by the Centre and was impartial in nature. It rejected allegations of bias and said that due process had been followed at every stage.

In its judgment, the court placed significant emphasis on national security. Justice Dr Nupur Bhati observed that when issues of national security are involved, individual hardship has to be balanced against the larger public interest. The court found the arguments put forward by the Ministry of Defence and the state government to be more convincing than those raised by the petitioners.

The judge clearly stated that the objections raised by the farmers did not outweigh the strategic importance of the project. As a result, the court dismissed the petition filed by the 58 farmers.

According to a report, the project is not only strategically important but also has historical significance. The aviation base is planned at the site of an existing airstrip in Lalgarh Jattan village. This airstrip had earlier witnessed civilian flight operations in the 1960s.

The plan now is to upgrade and transform this airstrip into a modern military aviation base equipped to meet current defence requirements. Once operational, the FCAB is expected to significantly improve the Indian Air Force’s response time in sensitive border scenarios.

The government has also pointed out that Sriganganagar already has an Air Force base station near Suratgarh, located around 71 kilometres from the district headquarters. The proposed base is expected to complement existing infrastructure and strengthen the overall defence network in the region.

With the high court’s clearance, the land acquisition process for the Forward Composite Aviation Base (FCAB) in Sriganganagar is set to move ahead. The ruling underlines the judiciary’s position that projects linked to national security can take precedence over individual objections, provided legal procedures are followed.

The development of the airbase near the India–Pakistan border is expected to play a key role in strengthening India’s defence preparedness in the region.