India-China Standoff: IAF Chief Reviews Sensitive Locations along LAC

Reviews Amid growing border tensions with China, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal, RKS Bhadauria, has on Thursday visited the sensitive locations and reviewed the Indian Air Force's operational readiness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

Speaking to the media, an IAF spokesperson, without giving detailed information about the bases said, “While, Bhadauria visited frontline air bases in Eastern Air Command (EAC) on Wednesday, he talked to the concerned IAF officials to take stoke of the situation today”. The IAF sources said, the Eastern Air Command, headquartered in Shillong, looks after the aerial defense of sensitive areas along the LAC in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh as well as various other parts of the region.

Concerned over the recent activities by the Chinese troops along the LAC, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have increased their alert levels in all key bases along the nearly 3,400 km-long border. Couple of days ago, the Chinese troops had attempted to change the status quo in the Southern Bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh. “The Chief of Air Staff was briefed about the state of readiness and operational preparedness of the combat units under the command”, IAF spokesperson said. The senior most IAF officer, along with the other officials, have been regularly visiting key air bases along the LAC since the border row broke out between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh in early May. Bhadauria made a quiet visit to Ladakh and Srinagar air bases to review the IAF's overall preparedness.

Over the past couple of months, the IAF deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the LAC. The IAF has also deployed Apache attack choppers as well as Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to transport troops to various forward locations in the region. The Indian Army had on Monday said the Chinese military carried out provocative military movements to unilaterally change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong Lake on the intervening night of August 29 and 30, but the attempt was thwarted by the Indian troops.