Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh's farewell golf round cancelled as IAF Sports Complex sealed
New Delhi – Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh's customary farewell golf round was cancelled on October 28 after the Indian Air Force Sports Complex was abruptly sealed, three days before his retirement on October 31.
The closure, executed by the Land and Development Office under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, is part of a wider land-reclamation drive in the Lok Kalyan Marg area. The L&DO has previously taken over the adjoining 15.2-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in June and the 53-acre Delhi Race Club in August, part of what appears to be a concerted effort to reclaim valuable real estate in the vicinity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence.
Singh wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on October 26 urging the government to reconsider the takeover of the sports complex. In his letter, Singh cited operational imperatives and the facility's role in housing over 5,000 personnel and training centres for Agniveer Vayu recruits enlisted under the Agnipath scheme. The complex, established nearly 80 years ago, also houses a nine-hole par-35 golf course, clubhouse, bar, multi-cuisine dining rooms, swimming pool, and gymnasium.
The Air Force has informed the defence ministry that the Race Course station is entrusted with countering unmanned aerial system threats during activities coordinated by the Delhi Integrated Air Defence Centre (DIADC). Singh's letter highlighted the station's multifaceted role, including administrative support to Air Headquarters, accommodation for married and unmarried personnel, training areas, security infrastructure, a medical centre, a school, and a unit-run canteen.
The timing of the closure, occurring hours before Singh's traditional 'golfing-out' ceremony, created what veterans described as a 'particularly graceless' end to a long-standing service institution. A three-star IAF veteran described the move as 'offensive', saying the closure could have been postponed by a few days out of respect for the outgoing Air Chief.
Soon after taking over as IAF chief in September 2024, Singh publicly berated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited over inordinate delays in delivering the upgraded Tejas Mk1A light combat aircraft. At the 16th Air Chief Marshal L.M. Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru in August 2025, Singh disclosed that the IAF had downed at least five Pakistan Air Force fighters and a sixth larger aircraft during Operation Sindoor, crediting Russia's S-400 Triumf air-defence system.
Only three days before the golf course shutdown, Singh had been alongside Modi in Varanasi, where the IAF staged a spectacular aerial display over the Ganga to mark its 94th raising anniversary. With just two days remaining before his retirement, Singh's farewell golf round must now find a new venue – assuming it takes place at all.
The complex's membership includes serving and retired IAF officers, other services personnel and some civilians. The Delhi Gymkhana Club, occupying 27.3 acres on nearby Safdarjung Road, has also been ordered to surrender its premises; its challenge to the government's action is pending before the Delhi high court. Despite the government's invocation of public purpose and defence infrastructure to justify the takeovers, there has been no clear indication of what the state intends to do with the reclaimed properties.
