India

Ex-IAF Chief Urges Defence Ministry to Keep Sports Complex Under Air Force Control

By Rahul Singh

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who retired on October 31, wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 26 asking that the Indian Air Force retain control of the Air Force Sports Complex (AFSC) at the Race Course Air Force Station near the Prime Minister’s residence. Singh’s letter came after the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) began reclaiming the 40‑acre complex, a move that has drawn criticism from defence circles and led to the cancellation of Singh’s farewell golf event scheduled for October 28. The AFSC, which includes a golf course, swimming pool, fitness centre, guest cottages and restaurants, was closed to members last month pending the land transfer. MoHUA has not stated a reason for the reclamation, but the action aligns with its broader effort to recover large parcels of land around the Prime Minister’s residence, such as the Gymkhana Club and Jaipur Polo Ground. Singh highlighted the station’s multifaceted role, noting that it provides administrative support to Air Headquarters and houses more than 5,000 personnel, along with accommodation, training areas, security infrastructure, a medical centre, a school and a canteen. He also mentioned that the station is tasked with countering unmanned aerial system threats during activities coordinated by the Delhi Integrated Air Defence Centre. The Land and Development Office under MoHUA has completed a survey of the sports complex, which is currently not in use. Singh urged the defence minister to direct authorities to hand the land back to the IAF and to reconsider the transfer. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who took over as the 29th IAF chief on Sunday, said he would give personal attention to the training, professional excellence, morale, safety, welfare and dignity of all air force personnel. The Race Course station has a long history, dating back to the Second World War when parachutists trained at the nearby Willingdon airport. It became the Royal Indian Air Force’s No. 10 Administrative Wing in September 1947 and has played a key role in national events, including the 1947–48 Kashmir war and the 1971 war, when it housed 15 Pakistani Air Force prisoners of war. The station remains an administrative nerve centre for the IAF, managing personnel records, accounts, medical support, security, accommodation, transport and the movement of airmen between postings.