NEW DELHI, Sep 3: Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday visited key air bases under the eastern air command and reviewed the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) combat readiness along the line of actual control (LAC) in Arunachal and Sikkim, in view of the heightened border tensions with China, officials said.
Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria asked the air warriors to maintain a very high level of alertness, considering the evolving situation in the Pangong lake region in eastern Ladakh, following China’s unsuccessful attempts to occupy certain strategic points in the area, the officials said on Thursday.
The eastern air command, headquartered in Shillong, looks after the aerial defence of sensitive areas along the LAC in Sikkim and Arunachal, as well as various other parts of the region.
“Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, chief of the air staff, visited frontline air bases in eastern air command on Wednesday,” an IAF spokesperson said, without mentioning the bases.
The army and the IAF have increased their alert levels in all key bases along the nearly 3,400 km-long LAC, following China’s fresh attempts to change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh.
The IAF spokesperson said the chief of air staff was apprised of the “state of readiness” and operational preparedness of the combat units under the command.
“Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria also met and interacted with air warriors serving in these units during the course of his visit. He lauded the focused efforts by the station personnel towards maintaining proficiency in all roles envisaged and urged them to continue performing their duty with due diligence,” the official said. (PTI)
