Updated: October 6, 2020 7:20:35 am
Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. (PTI)
Sending a harsh message to China amid the Ladakh crisis, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Monday that the IAF is “determined to handle any contingency” and that its “deployment of combat-ready units in response to the confrontation across LAC in the north is indicative of our operational status today. “
Stating that “we are very well positioned and there is no doubt that in any conflict scenario there China can defeat us,” Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria, responding to a question on whether the IAF came close to carrying out attacks against China after the clashes in the Galwan Valley, he said: “Were we close to attacking? No. But were we prepared for that? Yes.”
Addressing the press ahead of IAF Day, he said that the situation throughout LAC over the next three months will largely depend on how the talks between the two countries progress.
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Talks for disconnection followed by a reduction in escalation are underway. And we hope that the talks will advance in the expected line. Current progress is slow. What we see is an increase in efforts to dig during the winter, in terms of forces on the ground, in terms of the deployment of air assets at nearby airfields. “
Indian army trucks depart for Ladakh amid a clash between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh, on the Manali-Leh highway in the Kullu district. (PTI photo)
He said Indian forces are also taking action accordingly. “All the focus is on the talks … our future actions will depend on the realities on the ground.” He said that “there is no increase in terms of deployment of air assets” by China.
“Our offensive strike capability has been honed with new weapon and platform inductions and enhancements, skillfully supported by combat enablers and a networked decision-making environment, including an integrated approach to handling incoming threats. We have the largest strategic air transport capacity in our region, comprising the IL-76, C-17 and C-130 platforms. We have significantly improved our helilift capabilities with our helicopter inductions, ”he said.
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“Our airlift capacity also came into focus when we supported the Indian Army in the rapid mobilization of troops and equipment to operational areas at a pace that our adversary did not expect,” he said.
“Our position as a credible combat-ready force is vital given the role that the air force will play in ensuring victory in any future conflict … we have gone from being a tactical force to a strategic force with transoceanic reach,” said the chief. of the IAF. He said.
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“The emerging threat landscape in our neighborhood and beyond demands the need for strong capabilities to fight across the spectrum of warfare. We carry out bilateral and multilateral exercises with the main air forces of the world. And let me confidently share with you that operationally, we are among the best, ”he said.
The IAF deployment in Ladakh, he said, is “a very small part of our deployment. We have deployed to all relevant operational locations necessary to access this area. “
“Rest assured,” he said, “we are firmly in place to handle any contingency.”
Opinion | India and China must shift their focus towards maintaining the status quo along with each other’s perception of LAC
“We are aware that China and Pakistan are cooperating closely, and Pakistan is now increasingly dependent on China for its defense supplies, and they are doing many exercises together… this activity, in terms of their bilateral exercise, is increasing. “But, he said,” it does not mean that there is a sign that it is a collusive threat … we are deployed for a war on two fronts. “He said,” there is no such indication “and India is” observing all activities. ” .
He said that it was not right for the Indian forces to be surprised by the PLA. “We realized what the Chinese PLA was doing in May, and we acted quickly, both from the Army and the Air Force. To say that we were surprised is not really correct. We were surprised by the sense that they normally do their exercises in this period, and it was not expected that they would take advantage of this period to make this attempt in LAC, ”he said.
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