NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force and Indian Army conducted a major drill on Wednesday with an aim to strengthen the logistics supply in the northern sector. The exercise was named ‘Operation Hercules’.
The Ministry of Defence in its statement said, “The effort was a real-time demonstration of the inherent heavy-lift capability of the Indian Air Force, which has played a major role in ensuring the ability to quickly respond to any contingency during the past.”
The platforms utilised for the airlift were C-17, IL-76 and An-32 aircraft, which took off from one of the forward bases of Western Air Command. This would augment winter stocking in the operational areas as the region would get cut off for the next 4-5 months from the rest of India and the forces would need adequate ration and resources.
The joint drill also comes amid the ongoing standoff with China in Eastern Ladakh since May 2020 with the deployment of around 60,000 troops from both sides. The tanks, artillery, missiles and heavy equipment have been placed in the area.
In October, the Corps Commanders of the two militaries held their 13th round of talks which ended inconclusively, thus becoming clear that the deployments will continue.
In another development, Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta is expected to take over as the new Leh-based Corps commander by the end of this month as Lt Gen PGK Menon, the current Corps Commander has completed his tenure. Lt Gen Sengupta will be heading the Corps Commanders talks with China soon to discuss the remaining issues pertaining to the border standoff.