IAF monitoring LAC situation, will counter China's nummerical advantage with better tactics: IAF chief

The head of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, stated on Tuesday that the IAF continually monitors Chinese activity near the border and takes action to counter any aggressive actions. In his remarks at the yearly press conference for Air Force Day, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said that while the Indian Air Force always matches technology with requirement, it deploys its resources tactically when the enemy has a numerical advantage. “We are constantly monitoring the situation across borders through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). We make note of the build-up of resources and capabilities across the borders,” he said. He added that the IAF’s operations plans are dynamic and constantly adapt to the environment. “Our operational plans are dynamic and keep changing based on the situation that we perceive that is developing across any front. In places, where we cannot really counter the numbers or the might of the adversary, we will counter it through better tactics and better training…We keep revising our ISR plans as per inputs,” he said. The IAF Chief claimed that the enemy has a huge number of radars and surface-to-air guided weapon systems spread out all along the Line of Actual Control. The Indian Air Force is handling this challenge by deploying additional radars and using better tactics. The IAF chief stated that as a long-term solution, the Indian Air Force is also considering the installation of powerful radars that would enable it to see “as deep as the enemy can see inside our area”. Chaudhari responded that there is technology transfer going on between China and Pakistan when asked about cooperation between the Chinese and Pakistani Air Force in terms of providing military gear. “Pakistan is manufacturing JF-17 fighter aircraft and also inducting J-10 aircraft…Wherever we can counter technology with technology, we will do it. Where we cannot, we will do it with better training and tactics,” he said. The IAF Chief noted that “the need to have a strong and credible military has become imperative” due to the region’s unstable and uncertain geopolitical environment. “The Indo-Pacific Region is the new economic and strategic centre of gravity of the world and offers us both challenges and opportunities. Indian Air Force, with its inherent capability to see the farthest, reach the fastest and hit the hardest will be critical in mitigating these challenges and will remain a fulcrum in projecting India’s might in the region,” he said. (With agency inputs)