Indian Air Force Sends 2 Rafale Fighters After 'UFO' Sighted Near Imphal Airport

New Delhi: In a swift response to the sighting of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) reportedly near Imphal airport, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday scrambled its two Rafale fighter jets to investigate the unusual sighting. The mysterious UFO incident occurred around 2:30 pm, causing disruptions to several commercial flights in the region on Sunday.

Following the reports, a Rafale fighter aircraft from a nearby airbase was promptly scrambled to conduct a thorough search. Defence sources, quoted by ANI, said, "Soon after information about the UFO near the Imphal airport was received, a Rafale fighter aircraft from a nearby airbase was scrambled to go and search for the UFO."

Equipped with advanced sensors, the first aircraft engaged in low-level flying over the suspected area, but the elusive UFO remained elusive. Undeterred, a second Rafale fighter was deployed for a subsequent search, yet the unidentified object was nowhere to be found.

"The agencies concerned are trying to find out the details of the UFO as there are videos of the UFO over the Imphal airport," the sources added, highlighting the ongoing efforts to unravel the mystery.

Once Imphal airport was cleared for normal operations, the Eastern Command of the Indian Air Force, headquartered in Shillong, announced that its Air Defence response mechanism has been activated. However, specific details of the actions taken remained undisclosed.

In a post on 'X' (formerly Twitter), the Eastern Command stated, "IAF activated its Air Defence response mechanism based on visual inputs from Imphal airport. The small object was not seen thereafter."

The Rafale fighters, stationed at the Hashimara air base in West Bengal, regularly operate from various air bases along the eastern sector bordering China. Notably, these advanced aircraft recently participated in the extensive Air Force exercise, Poorvi Akash, where they showcased their capabilities alongside other major assets of the force and army troops.