IAF to seek land in Uttarakhand's border areas for activities amid China standoff

Amid the ongoing standoff with China along the LAC, Central Air Command chief, Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to seek land for setting up facilities that will help the IAF carry out its activities in the border areas.

The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Central Air Command, during his meeting with Rawat on Friday (September 11) also discussed the availability of land for installing air defence radars and advance landing ground in the hilly areas of the state due to their strategic significance, an official release said.

Uttarakhand shares its borders with China and Nepal.

Setting up facilities like air defence radars and an advance landing ground in Uttarakhand’s hilly districts of Chamoli, Pitgoragarh and Uttarkashi will be of great help to the air force as they are in the country’s northeast, the AOC-in-C said.

The Air Marshal also requested for expansion of Pantnagar, Jollygrant and Pitgoragarh airports besides seeking allocation of land for an airport in Chaukhutiya.

The chief minister said land will be made available to the IAF on priority basis to conduct its activities and immediately ordered appointment of a nodal officer in the administration to identify suitable land for the purpose.

Rawat apprised the AOC-in-C about the steps being taken by the state government to develop Pantnagar airport as a green field airport and upgrade facilities at the Jollygrant airport to international standards.

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Earlier, five Rafale jets that arrived on July 29 were formally inducted as part of the 17 Squadron, nicknamed Golden Arrows, at Ambala Air Force Station.

India inked an inter-governmental deal with France in September 2016 to procure 36 Rafale jets worth Rs 59,000 crore. Five jets have arrived and the next batch of the aircraft is likely to arrive in October this year. The last batch is likely to reach by the end of 2021.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that the induction of the five Rafale fighter jets are important given the kind of situation that has been created on the country’s borders in recent days.

Equipped with a wide range of weapons, the Rafale is intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike and nuclear deterrence missions. The Rafale is referred to as an ‘omnirole’ aircraft by Dassault.

(With inputs from agencies)