NEW DELHI: Amid the Chinese PLA’s enhanced levels of deployment in eastern Ladakh, the Indian Air Force is continuing its dynamic operational plans and will continue its deployment until disengagement from all points is complete.
“The situation continues to remain what it was in the last year. There have been disengagements in certain contested areas. But a complete disengagement has not yet taken place,” Chief of Air Staff ACM VR Chaudhari told the media on Tuesday. “We will continue to remain deployed till a complete disengagement takes place,” he added.
The IAF is gearing up to celebrate its 91st anniversary on October 8. The IAF keeps a watch on China’s rapid expansion of military infrastructure and deployment across the borders, said the Chief, through ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) mechanisms.
“We take note of the build-up of resources and capabilities across the borders. Our operational plans are very dynamic and keep changing based on the situation that we perceive across any front,” he said.
“In places where we cannot really counter the numbers or the might of the adversary, we will counter it through better tactics and through better training,” he said.
The Air Chief Marshal said the IAF does not have a fixed mindset in terms of the deployment of assets in key areas along the LAC. The IAF is also going ahead with the induction of modern platforms. A contract to procure 97 Tejas Mark 1A aircraft at a cost of around Rs 1.15 lakh crore will be concluded soon.
The IAF Chief said the force is looking at inducting military platforms, equipment and defence hardware worth around Rs 2.5 lakh crore in the next seven-eight years. The force is in the process of deploying mountain radars to improve surveillance along the borders.