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Repeat of 1962 India-China war not possible: IAF chief
A repeat of the 1962 India-China war is not possible now as the Indian armed forces have enhanced their capability, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik said.
A repeat of the 1962 India-China war is not possible now as the Indian armed forces have enhanced their capability, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal PV Naik said on Thursday.
"A repeat of 1962 is not possible now. I am confident, are you?" Naik said, asserting IAF's enhanced capability.
Indian armed forces were humiliated by Chinese forces in a short but bloody war over boundary disputes in 1962.
"We are building up infrastructure, but it is not adversary-specific. It is capability enhancement... There should not be lack of confidence in the armed forces among the public. We are prepared for any eventuality," Naik added.
Naik last month created a flutter when he admitted that the IAF's force level was one-third that of China and thus "inadequate".
He, however, said Thursday that the IAF was taking up big-time infrastructure development along India's border with China.
"Nyoma (airfield) has been upgraded recently. Before that, Fukuche and Daulat Beg Oldie were upgraded. As far as Arunachal Pradesh is concerned there is a plan to upgrade many Advanced Landing Grounds like Along, Machuka, Tuting. Efforts are on to upgrade them.
"Let me tell you this was long overdue and now we have got the go-ahead. So we are undertaking the programme. These (airfields) were already operational under limited resources. The upgradation will take another three-five years," Naik said.
The IAF recently inducted four of its frontline Sukhoi-30MKIs at the Tezpur airbase. Plans are afoot to induct the full squadron.
"We are waiting for the infrastructure to come up (at the Tezpur airbase). The induction has not been put on hold," the IAF chief said.
However, the IAF chief sought to downplay the recent reports of incursions by Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control.
"There is no spate in incursions. We should not take too much notice of it. They are under surveillance," Naik added.
Talking about capability enhancement, Naik said the thrust is to strengthen four pillars - to be able to see first and farthest, to reach farther and first, to be able to hit accurately and hard, and in the end to protect the national assets during peace and war time.