IAF Has Enhanced Efforts Along LAC with New Radars & Weapons to Monitor Chinese Activity: Air Chief

The Indian Air Force has inducted a large number of radars and Surface-to-Air Guided Weapon (SAGW) systems along the LAC to monitor Chinese air activity in the region, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari said on Tuesday.

“As far as the recent air violations or increased air activity by the Chinese are concerned, we continuously monitor it by enhancing our air defence efforts there,” the IAF Chief said at a press conference ahead of the Air Force Day on October 8.

“We have increased the presence of our radars and Surface-to-Air Guided Weapon (SAGW) systems. We have integrated them into Integrated the Air Command and Control System (IACCS) network, and appropriate non-escalatory air-defence measures are always taken, in time,” he said.

IACCS is an automated command and control system for Air Defence (AD) operations.

“We have been able to signal our intent and our state of readiness with the actions taken so far,” he said.

The top IAF officer said while disengagement has taken place at specific friction points along the LAC, the ideal situation is to return to status quo and complete withdrawal from all points along the LAC.

“We continue monitoring the LAC through ISR (Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance) efforts,” he said, adding that the force’s preparations in terms of infrastructure development, induction of modern equipment, training and tactics is a continuous effort, irrespective of any belligerence on the part of China.

Stating that several confidence building measures (CBMs) are being undertaken between India and China, he said India tries to ensure that none of the CBMs are being violated.

“We have an IAF officer who represents us in border talks,” he said, adding that the Army hotline is used for communicating any incident of air violation by the Chinese.

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said there are many lessons to learn from the Indo Pacific, and the IAF is monitoring the region to keep a tab on the use of air power there, several maritime scenarios and the use of multi-domain warfare capabilities being exploited in that region.

“We are continuously monitoring it and we will continue developing our own tactics and procurement plans based on what we see happening there,” he said.

Doctrinal Aspects of IAF Should Not be Compromised

Talking about the ongoing exercise of creating theatre commands by clubbing the existing command structures of the Army, Navy and the IAF, Chaudhari said the IAF is not opposing any process of integration or theaterisation process.

He said the IAF wants that the theatre commands should be future ready to deal with newer forms of warfare in the space and cyber domain, and they should not increase the decision-making chains from the two-three levels the force currently has.

“Each service has a doctrine. The doctrinal aspects of IAF in particular is what I am worried about. It should not be compromised in any way by the new structure,” the Air Chief said.

India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat was leading the planned transformation of the Armed Forces by creation of the theatre commands.

Multiple studies on the theatre commands were underway in the last few months and at least two table top exercises have been carried out on the theaterisation process.

Newly-appointed CDS Gen. Anil Chauhan will now be driving the theaterisation process.

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