A day after Chinese foreign office reacted sharply on trial of nuclear capable Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, IAF Chief Air Marshal Arup Raha said India believes in peace and tranquility with neighbours but historically we have been drawn into conflicts.
Without naming China, Air Chief Marshal Raha said, “We have to develop capabilities to deter if adversaries strong. We have to strike deep into adversaries heart of the enemy “.
Hinting about China, IAF chief said the country has progressed and has lot of money, which it is spending on research and development on defence preparedness.
“Simultaneously, We are built up our capability from to sea air. Raising of mountain strike corps by army to developing advanced landing grounds in Arunachal Pradesh,” he said.
The Agni V missile, with an over 5000 km range, covers the entire China.
Reacting to the missile test-firing, Chinese Foreign Ministry had on Tuesday hoped that it complied with UN Security Council rules and safeguarded South Asia’s strategic balance.
“I think in international diplomacy, normal diplomacy or military diplomacy, these posturing and signalling will always be there.
“So we should just go about with our task, meet our own requirements, security challenges,” Raha said addressing a press conference here days before he demotes office on December 31.
On SP Tyagi
In the backdrop of corruption allegations against former IAF chief S P Tyagi in the VVIP chopper scam, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha on Wednesday said multiple agencies are involved in the procurement process and no one can pin the blame on one particular organisation or service.
Tyagi, who was given bail recently, has always maintained that all decisions were taken collectively and it is wrong to solely blame him.
IAF Chief Raha, who was asked about corruption charges plaguing defence deals, also lamented that despite probes into the alleged scams over the decades, not much could be achieved by the investigating agencies to bring to justice people involved in corrupt practices.
“If these corruption charges are proved, it is bad for the armed forces, or whoever is involved. It is not just the armed forces who are involved in the procurement.
IAF better prepared post Pathankot attack
Arup Raha said that the Pathankot terror attack earlier in January this year was the first setback, adding that they are now better prepared having learnt lessons from the same.
“Pathankot was the first setback. We have learnt lessons and are better prepared now. The second setback was the missing of the AN-32. Even after efforts, we could not trace the aircraft. We are helping their families. It is one of the worst memories in my career. AN-32s don’t have Underwater Locater Beacons. We have taken up the case with the government,” the Air Chief said.
The Air Chief said on operational preparedness, they are dwindling with the fighters.
“We paid attention to latest acquisitions and upgrades of the aircrafts we have. On Rafael, we have invited LCA. Three are flying and we will accept 123 in next 10 years. The second squadron of C130 will come soon. It will be based at the Arjangadh base. Large numbers of radars which are indigenous have been inducted. The Air Force is well on its way to have network centric capabilities. We have done reasonably well in looking after the sub-conventional threat like terrorism and other conventional threat,” he added.
