The Indian Air Force has been on high alert across northern and western borders with Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria personally visiting the forward location bases in Leh and Srinagar to see the preparedness on the ground. “All fighter aircraft are put on high operational alert along the borders,” IANS quoted sources as saying.
Meanwhile, if ANI report is to be believed, the IAF has moved its assets including fighter aircraft to forward bases and airfields in view of the ongoing dispute with China, as its chief was on a two-day “hush-hush visit” to the Leh and Srinagar airbases, which would be the most critical for any operations to be carried out by the force in the Eastern Ladakh area.
Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria visited Leh and Srinagar air bases on 17 July, two days after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh region. He went for a two-day visit to the forward bases and returned on Friday.
When asked to confirm the visit by the Air Force chief to Leh and Srinagar, IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Indranil Nandy refused to say anything. “No comments,” he stated.
The force has moved its fighter plans across the forward locations and has directed all its men to remain on high alert. Even Indian Navy has been put on high alert amid the ongoing tension between India and China.
“The Air Force chief was on a two-day visit where he checked the operational readiness of all the platforms that have been moved to the area in view of the Chinese aggression along the LAC in the Eastern Ladakh where more than 10,000 troops have been amassed by China,” government sources told ANI.
On Thursday, 10 Indian Army personnel, including four officers, were released from the captivity of the People’s Liberation Army. The Indian Army personnel were released after hectic negotiations with the PLA for three consecutive days.
Indian Army said on Thursday that there were no soldiers “missing in action” following the violent clash with the PLA rroops on Monday night. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also said that no Indian army personnel were missing. The statement was made after 10 Indian soldiers, who were held in captivity from Monday night onwards, were released.
It is, however, not clear what led to Indians being taken into captivity by the PLA. The clash on Monday night occurred on the south bank of Galwan river in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
Those were the first casualties faced by the Indian Army in a clash with the PLA since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.
