Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 20: In an unprecedented move, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has called upon the IAF officers and jawans to be prepared for operations at a very short notice and focus their training taking persistent sub-conventional threat into account.
The Air Force chief has given the directions in a letter written to 1200 officers of the IAF across the country including Jammu and Kashmir referring to sub-conventional threat and need for the Air Force personnel to be in combat mode in a very short span of time.
Referring to present scenario, albeit without touching the worsening ties between India and Pakistan, the IAF chief said: “there is an ever persistent sub-conventional threat and, therefore, we need to be prepared for operations with our present holdings, at a very short notice”.
In the letter, which is stated to be first and rare of its kind, the Indian Air Force chief has highlighted four very significant issues including sub-conventional threat, preparedness by the IAF personnel at a very short notice, increased vigilance by the personnel in view of cross-border skirmishes and focus of the IAF training taking these aspects into account.
Calling upon the IAF officers and personnel to stay vigilant, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has mentioned in the letter that the IAF needed to focus its training taking the aspects like sub-convention threat and preparation in very short span of time for operations into the account.
He has referred to skirmishes and prevailing situation along the borders as major reasons for preparations towards combat ready in short span of time.
Sources pointed out that sub-conventional threat, preparation for operation in short span of time and other strategic issues highlighted by the Indian Air Force chief in the letter have direct reference to deteriorating relations between India and Pakistan, emerging threats on the border of the two neighbours and related issues.
Apart from sub conventional threat, preparation within short span of time and enhanced training, the letter also covered the issues that have gripped the country especially in Jammu and Kashmir, which was facing militancy, both along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and hinterland. In addition, the letter has also deliberated upon the issues related to ‘sexual harassment’ and ‘favouritism’, reports said.
According to reports, this is for the first time that the Indian Air Force chief has written a personal letter to as many as 1200 officers highlighting the threats faced by the country and IAF preparations to meet and counter the threats.
The IAF had played very crucial and virtually decisive role in 1999 Kargil war between India and Pakistan, leading to the Indian victory. The IAF had used fleet of its fighter planes to push back the Pakistani intruders, who had captured the Kargil heights.
Recently, top Central leadership and Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat had made it clear that Pakistan would be taught a lesson for mutilating the bodies of two Indian soldiers on Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district. Indian Army is reported to have strengthened its positions along the LoC in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri and other sectors along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
After the beheading of two soldiers, there had been heavy exchanges of mortar shelling and firing between Indo-Pak troops along the LoC in Nowshera sector in which three civilians were killed on the Indian side and others left injured. Pakistan has also suffered heavy damages in retaliatory firing by the Indian troops.
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