IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari stated on Sunday that air activity across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is continuously monitored. He further said that whenever IAF spots any Chinese aircraft coming a little too close to the friction points, appropriate measures are taken. The 16th round of high-level military negotiations between India and China is currently underway.
A Chinese aircraft crossed the perceived Indian LAC late in June and briefly flew over the points of tension. When India radars picked up the PLAAF fighter, teams were deployed to thwart or intercept if necesasry.
“Air activity across LAC is continuously monitored by us. Whenever we find Chinese aircraft coming a little too close to the LAC, then, we take appropriate measures by scrambling our fighters and putting our systems on high alert. This has deterred them,” sated the IAF chief
However, Chaudhari claimed he was unable to identify a specific justification for the China’s actions. In the 16th round of high-level military negotiations, the remaining points of contention along the LAC in eastern Ladakh are the main emphasis. At the Chushul Moldo meeting location on the Indian side of the LAC in the area, the discussions got under way at 9:30 am.
The current standoff in the Ladakh sector started on May 5, 2020, when the Chinese PLA infiltrated the north banks of the Pangong Tso in large numbers and against all established and agreed-upon protocols and agreements in an effort to draw a rejected 1959 Line defining the Chinese perception of the LAC.
The last session of talks between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Indian Army took place on March 11 and lasted roughly 13 hours. In a joint statement, both sides reiterated that resolving the concerns will aid in restoring peace and tranquilly in the region and promote advancement in bilateral relations. However, the 15th round of negotiations came to no meaningful conclusion.
The IAF chief commented on the government’s Agnipath Scheme for recruiting soldiers into the three armed services below the rank of commissioned officers and said, “We have received 7.5 lakh applications for it. This shows the keenness of the youth to join the armed forces. The big challenge lies in finishing the selection process on time to start training in December”.
Speaking about the Air Force Day Parade, Chaudhari said it will be held in Chandigarh. “The PM’s vision was to take major events out of Delhi. Keeping with his vision and our idea of showing the IAF’s prowess to the youth of the nation, we decided to shift the venue of the parade to a new location every year,” he said.
In lieu of the Hindan Air Base in Delhi NCR, where it has previously been staged for many years, the IAF has chosen to hold this year’s Air Force Day parade and flypast in Chandigarh.
The flypast is scheduled to take place over the city’s renowned Sukhna Lake, where a sizable crowd from Chandigarh and nearby cities can go to see combat aircraft like the Rafale, Su-30, and Mirage 2000 fly alongside aerobatic display teams like the Suryakirans and the Sarang.
Also read: Agnipath To Prepare Specially Trained Youth: Air Marshal Vikram Singh
