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The Indian Air Force is fully prepared to fight a full-fledged war at short notice, said Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa..
“We are prepared to fight at short notice if the need arises,” Dhanoa said at the 85th Air Force Day celebrations at the Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad (UP).
The IAF, he said, is increasingly working towards achieving a network-centric warfare. Post the Pathankot air base attack, the Air Force is implementing an Integrated Perimeter Security System.
He, however, also hinted that it will be better for the IAF if the Government expedites the process of procuring the single-engine fighter, as planned under the ‘Make in India’ programme.
The Government plans to purchase around 120 warplanes to address the issue of depleting squadrons in a deal worth $12 billion.
Wishing the IAF in a tweet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “On Air Force Day, best wishes to our courageous air warriors & their families. Their determination & prowess ensure that our skies are safe.”
President Ram Nath Kovind said in a tweet” “On Air Force Day, I salute the valour, commitment & dedication of our brave air warriors. They safeguard our skies.”
The celebrations at Hindon were marked with parades and Chakra formation flypast. Taking a sombre note, as the celebrations came in the wake of an IAF copter crash in Arunachal Pradesh in which seven military personnel were killed, Dhanoa said, “We pay tributes to the five Indian Air Force personnel and two Army personnel who died in the line of duty.”
Addressing a press conference last week, Dhanoa had said that the IAF is ready with a ‘Plan B’ to answer any threats arising from China while it can also simultaneously battle Pakistan. Dhanoa had also hinted that post the Doklam standoff between India and China, Chinese forces are still present at the Chumbi Valley in Tibet.
He had also claimed that the Indian Air Force has the ability to “locate, fix and strike targets across the border.”
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