Following Sunjwan Army camp attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Air Force (IAF) para commandos have been airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur on Saturday morning.&nbsp;

Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa, news agency ANi reported.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLASH</a> Sunjwan Army Camp Attack: IAF para commandos airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur, this morning. Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa. <a href="https://t.co/Qzk12SUtGt">pic.twitter.com/Qzk12SUtGt</a>
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Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to look into the Sunjwan Army Camp attack.

He also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid regarding this matter.

At least three terrorists stormed inside a JCO family quarter in Sunjwan area of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of Saturday killing one Army man and injuring at least three others.

&quot;In the morning around 4:45 a.m. Militants fired upon one gate, the area has been cordoned off two injured one army man and his daughter as per reports. Militants number is not known as of now,&quot; said Jammu Inspector General of Police (IGP) S D Singh Jamwal.&nbsp;

The security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting a search and combing operation.&nbsp;

At least three terrorists stormed inside a JCO family quarter in Sunjwan area of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of Saturday killing one Army man and injuring at least three others.

Following Sunjwan Army camp attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Air Force (IAF) para commandos have been airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur on Saturday morning. Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa, news agency ANi reported. #FLASH Sunjwan Army Camp Attack: IAF para commandos airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur, this morning. Another aircraft is airborne to airlift para commandos from Sarsawa. pic.twitter.com/Qzk12SUtGt — ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2018 × Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to look into the Sunjwan Army Camp attack. He also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid regarding this matter. At least three terrorists stormed inside a JCO family quarter in Sunjwan area of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of Saturday killing one Army man and injuring at least three others. "In the morning around 4:45 a.m. Militants fired upon one gate, the area has been cordoned off two injured one army man and his daughter as per reports. Militants number is not known as of now," said Jammu Inspector General of Police (IGP) S D Singh Jamwal. The security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting a search and combing operation.

Sunjwan Army camp attack: IAF para commandos airlifted to Jammu from Udhampur

The Delhi Police has arrested an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer&nbsp;Group Captain Arun Marwah on charges of providing secret IAF documents to Pakistan&#39;s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).&nbsp;

Marwah was handed over to the Special Cell&#39;s northern range on Wednesday after being interrogated for nearly 10 days by the counter intelligence wing of the IAF, a senior police official said.

He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) provisions and five days police custody has been granted by the court for questioning him, he said.

Reports said earlier that the officer may have been &quot;honey trapped&quot; as he was suspected of sending pictures of classified documents through social media channel WhatsApp.

The identity of the woman hasn&#39;t been established.

As per the complaint filed against Marwah by the Air Force, he was caught by the counter intelligence wing after he was found carrying a high-end phone at the headquarters, which are banned there.

The counter intelligence wing is also probing whether he was part of any larger espionage ring.

The IAF officially did not comment on the matter.

Punishment under the Official Secrets Act entails a jail term of up to seven years.

The special cell of Delhi Police has filed an FIR against the officer under the Officials Secrets Act.

The Delhi Police has arrested an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Group Captain Arun Marwah on charges of providing secret IAF documents to Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Marwah was handed over to the Special Cell's northern range on Wednesday after being interrogated for nearly 10 days by the counter intelligence wing of the IAF, a senior police official said. He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) provisions and five days police custody has been granted by the court for questioning him, he said. Reports said earlier that the officer may have been "honey trapped" as he was suspected of sending pictures of classified documents through social media channel WhatsApp. The identity of the woman hasn't been established. As per the complaint filed against Marwah by the Air Force, he was caught by the counter intelligence wing after he was found carrying a high-end phone at the headquarters, which are banned there. The counter intelligence wing is also probing whether he was part of any larger espionage ring. The IAF officially did not comment on the matter. Punishment under the Official Secrets Act entails a jail term of up to seven years.

Delhi Police arrests Air Force officer suspected of passing secrets to Pakistan's ISI

Gurez, a picturesque&nbsp;valley just a few kilometres away from the Line of Control (LoC) in the border district of district Bandipora, remain cut off from rest of&nbsp;Kashmir for&nbsp;the past four months because of heavy snowfall. The people of the area live in miserable conditions during this four months and suffer most&nbsp;because of ill health care.&nbsp;

On 31st of&nbsp;January, a seven-year-old boy from the area complained of acute pain in the abdomen. Seeing his unbearable pain, parents admitted him to a hospital in&nbsp;Gurez. Though the hospital was well-equipped, nobody was there&nbsp;to operate the facilities&nbsp;available. A junior&nbsp;doctor present diagnosed that the child was suffering from appendicitis and needed to be operated upon immediately&nbsp;which was not possible at the hospital. The doctor&nbsp;suggested the parents of the seven-year-old boy to shift&nbsp;him to Srinagar. However, even that was not possible as the road was closed due to bad weather. The chopper service was also not operational for the last three days due to the&nbsp;continuous&nbsp;snowfall and cloudy weather.&nbsp;

At this difficult&nbsp;time when helpless parents were seeing their&nbsp;kid in unbearable&nbsp;pain and not been able to&nbsp;do anything, Indian&nbsp;army came forward to help. A local army unit located in Gurez signalled the IAF base in Srinagar&nbsp;and requested for the helicopter&nbsp;to airlift the child to Srinagar.

Srinagar-based defence&nbsp;spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said that the seven-year-old&nbsp;Taufik&nbsp;suffered acute pain as a result of appendicitis on January 31 night and needed immediate medical care. Due to non-availability of adequate medicare in the area, he had to be shifted to Srinagar for treatment. The message for shifting&nbsp;was received at the Air Force Station, Srinagar, at night. The crew along with a helicopter was put on standby. However, bad weather at Gurez prevented the helicopter from getting airborne the next morning,&rdquo; the defence spokesman said.

He said the helicopter was then assigned to&nbsp;another assignment.

&ldquo;On its way back from the assignment, the helicopter crew received a message that the weather at Gurez had improved to marginal. The helicopter was diverted to the landing site. After the successful landing, Taufik and his father were picked up despite continuous snowfall and low clouds and moved to Srinagar,&rdquo; the spokesman said.

And boy&#39;s life was saved with the help of Indian Air Force and he was taken to Srinagar for treatment on February 1 where his&nbsp;condition is stable.

Local residents of Gurez and family members of Tawfiq thanked the air forces. Taufiq&#39;s father&nbsp;Ghulam Rasool Lone thanked the Army especially the rescue team&nbsp;of the Air Force, who undertook a &#39;risky landing&#39; to save the child&#39;s life in that bad weather condition. &#39;&#39;If Air Force personnel did not come forward to&nbsp;help, my&nbsp;child would have died. Due to their swift action&nbsp;my child survived,&#39;&#39; he said.&nbsp;

Cursing the local administration&nbsp;he said &quot;Pawan Hans Chopper Service, started by the administration is a failure&nbsp;when the army helicopter landed, why can&#39;t they? According to the Lone, people there have to face such situation in every winter.

Another resident Mohammad Snaullah Lone, a teacher by profession said &quot;We have a nice hospital which is well equipped&nbsp;but there is no one to handle the&nbsp;equipment. There are no expert technicians&nbsp;and doctors.&#39;&#39; He further complained that a&nbsp;few weeks back doctors&nbsp;were transferred&nbsp;to that place but no one joined as they are having political&nbsp;connections and don&#39;t want to come&nbsp;to&nbsp;such a remote&nbsp;area&quot;. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
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Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said, '7-year-old Taufik, who lives in Gurez, suffered acute pain as a result of appendicitis on January 31 night and needed immediate medical care'

Gurez, a picturesque valley just a few kilometres away from the Line of Control (LoC) in the border district of district Bandipora, remain cut off from rest of Kashmir for the past four months because of heavy snowfall. The people of the area live in miserable conditions during this four months and suffer most because of ill health care. On 31st of January, a seven-year-old boy from the area complained of acute pain in the abdomen. Seeing his unbearable pain, parents admitted him to a hospital in Gurez. Though the hospital was well-equipped, nobody was there to operate the facilities available. A junior doctor present diagnosed that the child was suffering from appendicitis and needed to be operated upon immediately which was not possible at the hospital. The doctor suggested the parents of the seven-year-old boy to shift him to Srinagar. However, even that was not possible as the road was closed due to bad weather. The chopper service was also not operational for the last three days due to the continuous snowfall and cloudy weather. At this difficult time when helpless parents were seeing their kid in unbearable pain and not been able to do anything, Indian army came forward to help. A local army unit located in Gurez signalled the IAF base in Srinagar and requested for the helicopter to airlift the child to Srinagar. Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said that the seven-year-old Taufik suffered acute pain as a result of appendicitis on January 31 night and needed immediate medical care. Due to non-availability of adequate medicare in the area, he had to be shifted to Srinagar for treatment. The message for shifting was received at the Air Force Station, Srinagar, at night. The crew along with a helicopter was put on standby. However, bad weather at Gurez prevented the helicopter from getting airborne the next morning,” the defence spokesman said. He said the helicopter was then assigned to another assignment. “On its way back from the assignment, the helicopter crew received a message that the weather at Gurez had improved to marginal. The helicopter was diverted to the landing site. After the successful landing, Taufik and his father were picked up despite continuous snowfall and low clouds and moved to Srinagar,” the spokesman said. And boy's life was saved with the help of Indian Air Force and he was taken to Srinagar for treatment on February 1 where his condition is stable. Local residents of Gurez and family members of Tawfiq thanked the air forces. Taufiq's father Ghulam Rasool Lone thanked the Army especially the rescue team of the Air Force, who undertook a 'risky landing' to save the child's life in that bad weather condition. ''If Air Force personnel did not come forward to help, my child would have died. Due to their swift action my child survived,'' he said. Cursing the local administration he said "Pawan Hans Chopper Service, started by the administration is a failure when the army helicopter landed, why can't they? According to the Lone, people there have to face such situation in every winter. Another resident Mohammad Snaullah Lone, a teacher by profession said "We have a nice hospital which is well equipped but there is no one to handle the equipment. There are no expert technicians and doctors.'' He further complained that a few weeks back doctors were transferred to that place but no one joined as they are having political connections and don't want to come to such a remote area".

Indian Air Force saves 7-year-old boy from snowbound Gurez Valley

The Indian Air Force will<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/what-is-a-lifetime-adventure-for-you-is-a-daily-routine-for-us-defence-of-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-exercise-danx-564"> participate in Exercise Pitch Black </a>in Australia, the Australian defence minister&nbsp;Pyne has said.

The exercise which is dubbed the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/indra-2017-495"> largest Air Force training exercise </a>in the southern hemisphere is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

In 2016, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the US had participated in the air exercise.

The exercise which takes places every two years was started in 1981 for various RAAF units.&nbsp;

In 1990, Australia and Singapore took part in the exercise together and it was later expanded to include other countries.

&nbsp;United Arab Emirates, &nbsp;Canada, Germany and the Netherlands have taken part in the operation earlier.

The aim of the exercise is to practice offensive counter air (OCA) and defensive counter air (DCA) combat in a simulated environment which usually takes place at the Australian Air Force base at Glenbrook in New South Wales.

The Indian Air Force had earlier participated in the first joint tri-services military exercise with Russia in the eastern military district of Russia last year in October.

The Indian contingent containing 350 officers from the army, 80 from the Air Force including two IL 76 aircraft and one frigate and corvette took part in the military drill.

The exercise was meant to improve the &quot;interoperability&quot; between the two forces, vital in joint military and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The exercise which is dubbed the largest Air Force training exercise in the southern hemisphere is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force

The Indian Air Force will participate in Exercise Pitch Black in Australia, the Australian defence minister Pyne has said. The exercise which is dubbed the largest Air Force training exercise in the southern hemisphere is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). In 2016, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and the US had participated in the air exercise. The exercise which takes places every two years was started in 1981 for various RAAF units. In 1990, Australia and Singapore took part in the exercise together and it was later expanded to include other countries. United Arab Emirates, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands have taken part in the operation earlier. The aim of the exercise is to practice offensive counter air (OCA) and defensive counter air (DCA) combat in a simulated environment which usually takes place at the Australian Air Force base at Glenbrook in New South Wales. The Indian Air Force had earlier participated in the first joint tri-services military exercise with Russia in the eastern military district of Russia last year in October. The Indian contingent containing 350 officers from the army, 80 from the Air Force including two IL 76 aircraft and one frigate and corvette took part in the military drill. The exercise was meant to improve the "interoperability" between the two forces, vital in joint military and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

After Russia, Indian Air Force to take part in exercise 'Pitch Black' in Australia

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will fly a sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur today.&nbsp;

The Indian Air Force said Sitharaman will visit the Jodhpur airbase during which she will fly the aircraft.&nbsp;

The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a twin-engine fighter aircraft with two-seat cockpit. &nbsp;

Sitharaman will visit the Jodhpur airbase during which she will fly the aircraft

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will fly a sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur today. The Indian Air Force said Sitharaman will visit the Jodhpur airbase during which she will fly the aircraft. The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a twin-engine fighter aircraft with two-seat cockpit.

Defense minister Nirmala Sitharaman to fly Sukhoi fighter aircraft

The last MiG-27 ML aircraft roared over Hasimara Air Force base in Bengal on Thursday for the last time as the IAF bade farewell to this legacy fleet in a function, a Defence spokesperson said on Friday.

The MiG-27 ML, codenamed &#39;Bahadur&#39; in India, has had an impeccable track record in its more than three decades of glorious service to the nation, the spokesperson said in a statement.

The formidable strike aircraft of Russian origin has the single most powerful engine in the world and variable geometry wing which allows the pilot to change the wing sweep angle while flying as per the mission requirements to achieve optimum flying characteristics, it said.

This swing wing fighter bomber was inducted into the IAF fleet in the late 1980s. Being a dedicated ground attack aircraft, it was one of the main strike aircraft of the IAF.

With its sophisticated avionics and weapon computers, it is capable of delivering a variety of loads in different modes of attack with immense precision, the statement said.

Being a very stable weapon platform with good forward visibility and all around view, it can drop bombs, rockets, precision munitions guided by TV/laser and also fire air-to-air missiles for self defence thus making it a lethal and a potent weapon platform.

MiG-27 ML had proved its worth in various operations, including in Kargil and earned rich accolades in numerous international exercises held in India.

The pilots proudly call themselves &#39;Swing Wingers&#39; and have always vouched the aircraft&#39;s precise weapon delivery and rapid acceleration, the statement said.

Though the last MLs retire, they are not the last swing wing aircraft in service as few of them got a midlife avionics upgrade and continue to serve the nation. They are called MiG-27 UPG and are presently based in Jodhpur.

The 22 Squadron, known as &#39;Swifts&#39; was the last squadron of the IAF flying the MiG-27 MLs. The squadron has a rich history and is known for undertaking the famous &#39;Boyra Day Operations&#39; in Gnat aircraft, marking the beginning of 1971 War.

One of the youngest fighter squadrons, it converted to the MLs in February 1990. The lethal MiG-27 aircraft, with its range, speed and ferocity in attack has always been in perfect harmony with the ?Swift?, who bade it farewell with full military honours.

Squadron head Group Captain S L Mahajan, who after a stint in Sukhoi-30 MKI, proudly led the last ML.

The &#39;Swift&#39; pilots are slated to move to other squadrons/appointments and the squadron would be number plated for new induction.

The MiG-27 ML has had an impeccable track record in its more than three decades of glorious service to the nation

The last MiG-27 ML aircraft roared over Hasimara Air Force base in Bengal on Thursday for the last time as the IAF bade farewell to this legacy fleet in a function, a Defence spokesperson said on Friday. The MiG-27 ML, codenamed 'Bahadur' in India, has had an impeccable track record in its more than three decades of glorious service to the nation, the spokesperson said in a statement. The formidable strike aircraft of Russian origin has the single most powerful engine in the world and variable geometry wing which allows the pilot to change the wing sweep angle while flying as per the mission requirements to achieve optimum flying characteristics, it said. This swing wing fighter bomber was inducted into the IAF fleet in the late 1980s. Being a dedicated ground attack aircraft, it was one of the main strike aircraft of the IAF. With its sophisticated avionics and weapon computers, it is capable of delivering a variety of loads in different modes of attack with immense precision, the statement said. Being a very stable weapon platform with good forward visibility and all around view, it can drop bombs, rockets, precision munitions guided by TV/laser and also fire air-to-air missiles for self defence thus making it a lethal and a potent weapon platform. MiG-27 ML had proved its worth in various operations, including in Kargil and earned rich accolades in numerous international exercises held in India. The pilots proudly call themselves 'Swing Wingers' and have always vouched the aircraft's precise weapon delivery and rapid acceleration, the statement said. Though the last MLs retire, they are not the last swing wing aircraft in service as few of them got a midlife avionics upgrade and continue to serve the nation. They are called MiG-27 UPG and are presently based in Jodhpur. The 22 Squadron, known as 'Swifts' was the last squadron of the IAF flying the MiG-27 MLs. The squadron has a rich history and is known for undertaking the famous 'Boyra Day Operations' in Gnat aircraft, marking the beginning of 1971 War. One of the youngest fighter squadrons, it converted to the MLs in February 1990. The lethal MiG-27 aircraft, with its range, speed and ferocity in attack has always been in perfect harmony with the ?Swift?, who bade it farewell with full military honours. Squadron head Group Captain S L Mahajan, who after a stint in Sukhoi-30 MKI, proudly led the last ML. The 'Swift' pilots are slated to move to other squadrons/appointments and the squadron would be number plated for new induction.

Air force bids farewell to MiG-27 ML 'Bahadur'

The history of Bangladesh&#39;s liberation from Pakistan is inextricably entwined with outstanding acts of bravery committed by Indian soldiers. Artificially separated by the British during the Partition, the brave warriors of India and Bangladesh&nbsp;fought shoulder to shoulder to wrest independence from an oppressive regime. The anecdotes of gallantry are endless. But, perhaps, some acts of heroism were more decisive than the others. For instance, without the out of box thinking of&nbsp;Lt Gen Sagat Singh that expedited the capture of Dacca, the capital of erstwhile East Pakistan,&nbsp; Lt General AAK Niazi would have held back surrendering to India.&nbsp;Lt Gen Sagat Singh&#39;s decisive action saved lives of many soldiers and made the birth of Bangladesh possible.

Lt Gen Sagat Singh was a paratrooper and General Officer Commanding of IV Corps of Indian Army. He also has the distinction to command the coveted 50 (independent) Parachute Brigade of Indian Army and liberate Goa in 1961.

When the war broke out, IV corps went into action in the Agartala sector. In the initial advances, Indian Army and Muktibahini secured all the routes to Meghna River. The only way across the river was over the Ashuganj Bridge.

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<h5>General Singh got this unique idea of airlifting his troops over Meghna River which proved to be a turning point in the liberation of Bangladesh.</h5>
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Ashuganj Bridge was the only bridge that spanned the huge Meghna River which at its narrowest point was more than 4000 yards wide. With his troops at Ashuganj, Singh, however, realised his formation would be joining the race to Dacca. Due to the resistance offered by the Pakistani army, 2 Corps which was supposed to reach and isolate Dacca was held up at Kushtia and did not make it to Dacca. So, General Sagat Singh decided that his forces should move to Dacca.

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However, the Pakistan Army had destroyed the entire bridge and it would require a significant amount of time for Army Engineers to build a new bridge. General Singh got this unique idea of airlifting his troops over Meghna River which proved to be a turning point in the liberation of Bangladesh.

Indian Air Force came into the action under the leadership of Group Captain Chandan Singh, using the Soviet-made Mi-4 helicopters to airlift troops in many waves. Through the night of 9 December, the IAF air-lifted the entire 311 Brigade. The first troops, numbering around six hundred were landed through the night of the 9th, immediately contacting Pakistani troops north of Raipura.

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Captain Chandan Singh used MI-4 Helicopters to airlift Indian troops in many waves. (Others)
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They, however, held their positions, with the IAF flying in reinforcements. Over the next 36 hours, over 110 sorties were flown. The Mi-4, which normally carried 14 troops, carried as many as 23 on board. Simultaneous to this operation, 73rd Brigade moved across Meghna on boats and riverine crafts.

After the first consolidation in Raipura, the forces were lifted again to Narshingdi, and after Capturing Narshingdi, brave Indian forces occupied towns of Daudkandi and Baider Bazar on 14th and 15th December 1971 respectively. It was an idea full of risks which paid rich dividends and by 15th of December, 1971 the entire garrison town of Dacca was surrounded by Indian Forces which compelled Lt General AAK Niazi to accept the surrender request.

It is this out of box thinking - the decision of using the airforce to uplift the Indian Army rather than trying to cross the mighty Meghana river proved to be the most decisive factor of the 1971 War.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Lt General Sagat Singh's decision of using the airforce to uplift the Indian Army rather than trying to cross the mighty Meghana river proved to be the most decisive factor of the 1971 War.

The history of Bangladesh's liberation from Pakistan is inextricably entwined with outstanding acts of bravery committed by Indian soldiers. Artificially separated by the British during the Partition, the brave warriors of India and Bangladesh fought shoulder to shoulder to wrest independence from an oppressive regime. The anecdotes of gallantry are endless. But, perhaps, some acts of heroism were more decisive than the others. For instance, without the out of box thinking of Lt Gen Sagat Singh that expedited the capture of Dacca, the capital of erstwhile East Pakistan, Lt General AAK Niazi would have held back surrendering to India. Lt Gen Sagat Singh's decisive action saved lives of many soldiers and made the birth of Bangladesh possible. Lt Gen Sagat Singh was a paratrooper and General Officer Commanding of IV Corps of Indian Army. He also has the distinction to command the coveted 50 (independent) Parachute Brigade of Indian Army and liberate Goa in 1961. When the war broke out, IV corps went into action in the Agartala sector. In the initial advances, Indian Army and Muktibahini secured all the routes to Meghna River. The only way across the river was over the Ashuganj Bridge. General Singh got this unique idea of airlifting his troops over Meghna River which proved to be a turning point in the liberation of Bangladesh. × Ashuganj Bridge was the only bridge that spanned the huge Meghna River which at its narrowest point was more than 4000 yards wide. With his troops at Ashuganj, Singh, however, realised his formation would be joining the race to Dacca. Due to the resistance offered by the Pakistani army, 2 Corps which was supposed to reach and isolate Dacca was held up at Kushtia and did not make it to Dacca. So, General Sagat Singh decided that his forces should move to Dacca. × However, the Pakistan Army had destroyed the entire bridge and it would require a significant amount of time for Army Engineers to build a new bridge. General Singh got this unique idea of airlifting his troops over Meghna River which proved to be a turning point in the liberation of Bangladesh. Indian Air Force came into the action under the leadership of Group Captain Chandan Singh, using the Soviet-made Mi-4 helicopters to airlift troops in many waves. Through the night of 9 December, the IAF air-lifted the entire 311 Brigade. The first troops, numbering around six hundred were landed through the night of the 9th, immediately contacting Pakistani troops north of Raipura. Captain Chandan Singh used MI-4 Helicopters to airlift Indian troops in many waves. (Others) × They, however, held their positions, with the IAF flying in reinforcements. Over the next 36 hours, over 110 sorties were flown. The Mi-4, which normally carried 14 troops, carried as many as 23 on board. Simultaneous to this operation, 73rd Brigade moved across Meghna on boats and riverine crafts. After the first consolidation in Raipura, the forces were lifted again to Narshingdi, and after Capturing Narshingdi, brave Indian forces occupied towns of Daudkandi and Baider Bazar on 14th and 15th December 1971 respectively. It was an idea full of risks which paid rich dividends and by 15th of December, 1971 the entire garrison town of Dacca was surrounded by Indian Forces which compelled Lt General AAK Niazi to accept the surrender request. It is this out of box thinking - the decision of using the airforce to uplift the Indian Army rather than trying to cross the mighty Meghana river proved to be the most decisive factor of the 1971 War. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: Indian Army's out of the box thinking won 1971 war

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has eulogized the Indian Air Force exercise on the Agra-Lucknow expressway, which was built by his government.

&ldquo;Infrastructure is vital to UP&rsquo;s prosperity and India&rsquo;s security. &nbsp;Proud that Agra-Lucknow Expressway is now a National strategic asset,&rdquo; tweeted Akhilesh Yadav.

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Infrastructure is vital to UP&rsquo;s prosperity and India&rsquo;s security. Proud that Agra-Lucknow Expressway is now a National strategic asset. <a href="https://t.co/yE2oTz6rm0">pic.twitter.com/yE2oTz6rm0</a>
&mdash; Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/yadavakhilesh/status/922825976190570497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday performed breathtaking touch-and-go landings on a stretch of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway here, showing that highways can be used as landing strips in case of an emergency.

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???????? ?? ??????, ??? ?? ???????? ?? ??????. ???????? ?? ????, ????? ???????? ??, ???? ?????. ?? ????. ?? ????. <a href="https://t.co/e66VMMxpH0">pic.twitter.com/e66VMMxpH0</a>
&mdash; Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/yadavakhilesh/status/922800275500552193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Over a dozen IAF planes, including Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi 30s, besides 35,000 kg C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, took part in the exercise near Bangarmau in the district, about 65 km from Lucknow.

?Infrastructure is vital to UP?s prosperity and India?s security. Proud that Agra-Lucknow Expressway is now a National strategic asset,? tweeted Akhilesh Yadav.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has eulogized the Indian Air Force exercise on the Agra-Lucknow expressway, which was built by his government. “Infrastructure is vital to UP’s prosperity and India’s security. Proud that Agra-Lucknow Expressway is now a National strategic asset,” tweeted Akhilesh Yadav. Infrastructure is vital to UP’s prosperity and India’s security. Proud that Agra-Lucknow Expressway is now a National strategic asset. pic.twitter.com/yE2oTz6rm0 — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 24, 2017 × Fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday performed breathtaking touch-and-go landings on a stretch of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway here, showing that highways can be used as landing strips in case of an emergency. ???????? ?? ??????, ??? ?? ???????? ?? ??????. ???????? ?? ????, ????? ???????? ??, ???? ?????. ?? ????. ?? ????. pic.twitter.com/e66VMMxpH0 — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 24, 2017 × Over a dozen IAF planes, including Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi 30s, besides 35,000 kg C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, took part in the exercise near Bangarmau in the district, about 65 km from Lucknow.

Proud Agra-Lucknow Expressway is now a national strategic asset: Akhilesh Yadav

Fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday performed breathtaking touch-and-go landings on a stretch of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway&nbsp;showing that highways can be used as landing strips in case of an emergency. Over a dozen IAF planes, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-indian-air-force-c-130-plane-lands-on-lucknow-agra-expressway-22795">including Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi 30s</a>, besides 35,000 kg C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, took part in the exercise near Bangarmau in the district, about 65 km from Lucknow.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>This is the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-indian-air-force-c-130-plane-lands-on-lucknow-agra-expressway-22795"> Indian Air Force&#39;s first official touchdown exercise </a>on the expressway, which was inaugurated in November, 2016.</li>
	<li>It was carried out to&nbsp;hone pilots&#39; skills on public roads in case of a war-like emergency. 20 IAF aircraft (both fighter and transport) participated the touch-and-go manoeuvre on the expressway.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>It is for the first time any transport aircraft landed and then took&nbsp;off from the expressway.</li>
	<li>The main attraction of the exercise was the Super Hercules C-130J, aka military transport aircraft. IAF has six US-made Hercules transport aircraft at present.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A Mirage-2000 had landed on the Yamuna Expressway near Delhi for the first time in 2015.</li>
</ul>

The exercise, a rehearsal for the defence forces, took place near Bangarmau in Unnao.?

Fighter and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday performed breathtaking touch-and-go landings on a stretch of the Lucknow-Agra Expressway showing that highways can be used as landing strips in case of an emergency. Over a dozen IAF planes, including Mirage-2000 fighters and Sukhoi 30s, besides 35,000 kg C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, took part in the exercise near Bangarmau in the district, about 65 km from Lucknow. This is the Indian Air Force's first official touchdown exercise on the expressway, which was inaugurated in November, 2016. It was carried out to hone pilots' skills on public roads in case of a war-like emergency. 20 IAF aircraft (both fighter and transport) participated the touch-and-go manoeuvre on the expressway. It is for the first time any transport aircraft landed and then took off from the expressway. The main attraction of the exercise was the Super Hercules C-130J, aka military transport aircraft. IAF has six US-made Hercules transport aircraft at present. A Mirage-2000 had landed on the Yamuna Expressway near Delhi for the first time in 2015.

Five things we learnt from IAF's exercise on Lucknow-Agra Expressway

An Indian Air Force MiG-23 training aircraft crashed in Balesar area near Jodhpur&nbsp;in Rajasthan today.

Both pilots ejected safely, reports said.

Developing&nbsp;

An Indian Air Force MiG-23 plane has crashed near Jodhpur

An Indian Air Force MiG-23 training aircraft crashed in Balesar area near Jodhpur in Rajasthan today. Both pilots ejected safely, reports said. Developing

Indian Air Force MiG-23 training aircraft crashes in Rajasthan, pilots safe

The Indian Air Force today ordered a court of inquiry into the accident involving a Sukhoi jet&nbsp;whose wreckage was found today 60 km from Tezpur in India&#39;s north-eastern state Assam.

The Su-30 MKI jet, with two pilots on board, had gone missing on Tuesday shortly after taking off from the Tezpur Salonibari air force station on a routine training sortie.

&quot;A court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident,&quot; said IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee.

The wreckage of the jet has been found in the thick forest about 60 km from Tezpur where it lost radar contact with the base.

&quot;The wreckage was located today and ground parties are standing by to be airlifted to the crash site as the area is totally inaccessible,&quot; said Banerjee

&quot;Search for flight data recorder and missing crew will be perused by the ground parties after they reach the crash site,&quot; he added.

Banerjee said search teams from the Army are attempting to reach the crash site by trekking cross country, adding that their progress is hampered due to bad weather, thick vegetation and steep gradient of the terrain.

The Su-30 jet had gone off the radar and lost radio contact about 1110 hours on Tuesday when aircraft was about 60 km from Tezpur.

The aircraft was on a routine training mission as part of a two-aircraft formation. A massive search operation was launched hours after the jet went missing.

However, incessant rain and dense clouds had hampered the search operations in air and on the ground.

(PTI)

The Indian Air Force ordered a court of inquiry into the accident involving a Sukhoi jet whose wreckage was found in Assam.

The Indian Air Force today ordered a court of inquiry into the accident involving a Sukhoi jet whose wreckage was found today 60 km from Tezpur in India's north-eastern state Assam. The Su-30 MKI jet, with two pilots on board, had gone missing on Tuesday shortly after taking off from the Tezpur Salonibari air force station on a routine training sortie. "A court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident," said IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee. The wreckage of the jet has been found in the thick forest about 60 km from Tezpur where it lost radar contact with the base. "The wreckage was located today and ground parties are standing by to be airlifted to the crash site as the area is totally inaccessible," said Banerjee "Search for flight data recorder and missing crew will be perused by the ground parties after they reach the crash site," he added. Banerjee said search teams from the Army are attempting to reach the crash site by trekking cross country, adding that their progress is hampered due to bad weather, thick vegetation and steep gradient of the terrain. The Su-30 jet had gone off the radar and lost radio contact about 1110 hours on Tuesday when aircraft was about 60 km from Tezpur. The aircraft was on a routine training mission as part of a two-aircraft formation. A massive search operation was launched hours after the jet went missing. However, incessant rain and dense clouds had hampered the search operations in air and on the ground. (PTI)

IAF orders court of inquiry into Sukhoi jet crash

An Indian Air Force Su-30 MKI fighter jet&nbsp;has gone missing in Tezpur in India&#39;s eastern state of Assam.

Tezpur Air force station is located 172 km from the China border.

The plane apparently went off the radar, the authorities have sent a search party to locate the plane.&nbsp;The plane went missing at 11:30am(local time), around 60 km north of the Tezpur Indian Air Force base from where it had taken off, said a defence spokesman and the deputy commissioner of Sonitpur district where the IAF station is located.

Defence public relations officer (Guwahati/Shillong), Lt. Col. Suneet Newton told PTI that the aircraft had lost radar and radio contact with the airbase.&nbsp;

Sonitpur district Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Deka told reporters in Tezpur that the Air Force base had informed him that the Su-30 MKI&nbsp;plane with two pilots had taken off from the airbase at 10:30am(local time) for a regular sortie and lost contact with the IAF air traffic control over Dubia in nearby Gohpur.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indian-air-force-sukhoi-aircraft-crashes-in-rajasthan-13409">Also Read:&nbsp;Indian Air Force Sukhoi aircraft crashes in Rajasthan</a>

The DC said he then immediately alerted the neighbouring district administrations about the missing plane.

The first of the Su-30 planes were inducted by the IAF in the late 1990s.&nbsp;Since their induction, seven crashes have taken place. An inquiry into the plane accidents has primarily indicated technical failure as their cause.

The last Sukhoi <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indian-air-force-sukhoi-aircraft-crashes-in-rajasthan-13409">crash occurred on March 15 when a Su-30 MKI had crashed in Rajasthan&#39;s Barmer,</a> hours after a Chetak helicopter crash landed and toppled in Kaushambi near Allahabad.&nbsp;

(Developing)

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A Sukhoi-30 aircraft airborne from Tejpur on a routine training mission lost radar and radio contact approx 60 km north of Tejpur in Assam.The aircraft is overdue and actions have been initiated (WION)
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(PTI)

An Indian Air Force plane has gone missing in Tezpur in India's eastern state of Assam

An Indian Air Force Su-30 MKI fighter jet has gone missing in Tezpur in India's eastern state of Assam. Tezpur Air force station is located 172 km from the China border. The plane apparently went off the radar, the authorities have sent a search party to locate the plane. The plane went missing at 11:30am(local time), around 60 km north of the Tezpur Indian Air Force base from where it had taken off, said a defence spokesman and the deputy commissioner of Sonitpur district where the IAF station is located. Defence public relations officer (Guwahati/Shillong), Lt. Col. Suneet Newton told PTI that the aircraft had lost radar and radio contact with the airbase. Sonitpur district Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Deka told reporters in Tezpur that the Air Force base had informed him that the Su-30 MKI plane with two pilots had taken off from the airbase at 10:30am(local time) for a regular sortie and lost contact with the IAF air traffic control over Dubia in nearby Gohpur. Also Read: Indian Air Force Sukhoi aircraft crashes in Rajasthan The DC said he then immediately alerted the neighbouring district administrations about the missing plane. The first of the Su-30 planes were inducted by the IAF in the late 1990s. Since their induction, seven crashes have taken place. An inquiry into the plane accidents has primarily indicated technical failure as their cause. The last Sukhoi crash occurred on March 15 when a Su-30 MKI had crashed in Rajasthan's Barmer, hours after a Chetak helicopter crash landed and toppled in Kaushambi near Allahabad. (Developing) A Sukhoi-30 aircraft airborne from Tejpur on a routine training mission lost radar and radio contact approx 60 km north of Tejpur in Assam.The aircraft is overdue and actions have been initiated (WION) × (PTI)

IAF plane Su-30 MKI goes missing in Assam

Indian Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa has written a personal letter to officers of the force, asking them to be prepared for operations at a &quot;very short notice&quot; to effectively deal with security challenges, including sub- conventional threat, to the country.

In a letter dated March 30, the IAF chief also touched upon a range of issues relating to service matters and asked the officers to be morally upright and mindful of their professional conduct so that image of the force is not tarnished

Talking about various security challenges confronting the country, Dhanoa, in an apparent reference to Pakistan backing terror groups targeting India, spoke about persistent &quot;sub- conventional threat&quot;, asserting the force should be prepared for operations at a &quot;very short notice&quot;

&quot;It was a personal letter the IAF chief wrote to the officers covering a wide range of issues that he felt were important,&quot; a senior IAF official said

In the letter, written three months after he took charge as IAF chief, Dhanoa also stressed on the need to mould IAF&#39;s training programme considering the evolving security scenario

Dhanoa also talked about the need for the IAF to remain ready for operations with its &quot;present holdings&quot;, seen as an reference to IAF&#39;s depleted strength of 33 squadrons of fighter aircraft instead of sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons

In the letter, he also talked about the need for the IAF to remain conscious about the new technological advancements in war fighting machinery as well as strength of India&#39;s adversaries

He also touched upon cases of alleged &quot;favouritism&quot; and &quot;sexual harassment&quot; in the IAF, stressing on the need to maintain high standards of morality and fairness

Dhanoa said image of IAF must not be allowed to affect at any cost. 
 
(PTI)

BS Dhanoa, in an apparent reference to Pakistan-backed terror groups targeting India, spoke about persistent 'sub- conventional threat' to the country

Indian Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa has written a personal letter to officers of the force, asking them to be prepared for operations at a "very short notice" to effectively deal with security challenges, including sub- conventional threat, to the country. In a letter dated March 30, the IAF chief also touched upon a range of issues relating to service matters and asked the officers to be morally upright and mindful of their professional conduct so that image of the force is not tarnished Talking about various security challenges confronting the country, Dhanoa, in an apparent reference to Pakistan backing terror groups targeting India, spoke about persistent "sub- conventional threat", asserting the force should be prepared for operations at a "very short notice" "It was a personal letter the IAF chief wrote to the officers covering a wide range of issues that he felt were important," a senior IAF official said In the letter, written three months after he took charge as IAF chief, Dhanoa also stressed on the need to mould IAF's training programme considering the evolving security scenario Dhanoa also talked about the need for the IAF to remain ready for operations with its "present holdings", seen as an reference to IAF's depleted strength of 33 squadrons of fighter aircraft instead of sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons In the letter, he also talked about the need for the IAF to remain conscious about the new technological advancements in war fighting machinery as well as strength of India's adversaries He also touched upon cases of alleged "favouritism" and "sexual harassment" in the IAF, stressing on the need to maintain high standards of morality and fairness Dhanoa said image of IAF must not be allowed to affect at any cost. (PTI)

Indian Air Force chief asks officers to be ready for operations at 'very short notice'

To keep the armed forces ready for battle at a short notice, India has inked emergency deals for ammunition and spares worth Rs 20,000 crore ($3 billion), reported The Times of India (TOI). The deals were reportedly signed over the last two to three months period.

The aim was to guarantee that the armed forces could undertake at least ten days of &quot;intense fighting&quot; without worrying about ammunition, spares and other reserves, defence ministry sources told TOI.&nbsp;

According to the TOI report, the new contracts will be primarily signed with Russia, Israel and France.&nbsp;

Since the attack on Jammu &amp; Kashmir&#39;s Uri air base, the government has stepped up its anti-terrorism operation, with surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has concluded 43 contracts worth over Rs 9,200 crore ($1.4 billion) for ammunition and spares for its fighter jets. Meanwhile, the Army has inked around 10 contracts worth over Rs 5,800 crore ($863 million) with Russian companies alone.

&quot;The emergency purchases will obviate the need for armed forces to present long shopping lists to the government after every major terror strike. They can now maintain operational readiness for different contingencies,&quot; the source added.

As per operational norms, the War Wastage Reserves (WWR) should be sufficient for 30 days of &quot;intense&quot;&nbsp;and 30 days of &quot;normal&quot; fighting,&nbsp;the&nbsp;report said.

Last week, the overall defence budget saw a marginal 6.2 per cent increase in the budget for the next fiscal at Rs 2.74&nbsp;lakh crore ($40.8 billion) from the Rs 2.58 lakh crore ($38.4 billion) allocated last year, with the capital outlay to cover the modernisation programmes getting a hike of 10.05 per cent.&nbsp;

(This article first appeared on DNA)

Defence ministry sources told Indian daily that the aim is to ensure that the forces can undertake 10 days of 'intense fighting'

To keep the armed forces ready for battle at a short notice, India has inked emergency deals for ammunition and spares worth Rs 20,000 crore ($3 billion), reported The Times of India (TOI). The deals were reportedly signed over the last two to three months period. The aim was to guarantee that the armed forces could undertake at least ten days of "intense fighting" without worrying about ammunition, spares and other reserves, defence ministry sources told TOI. According to the TOI report, the new contracts will be primarily signed with Russia, Israel and France. Since the attack on Jammu & Kashmir's Uri air base, the government has stepped up its anti-terrorism operation, with surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian Air Force (IAF) has concluded 43 contracts worth over Rs 9,200 crore ($1.4 billion) for ammunition and spares for its fighter jets. Meanwhile, the Army has inked around 10 contracts worth over Rs 5,800 crore ($863 million) with Russian companies alone. "The emergency purchases will obviate the need for armed forces to present long shopping lists to the government after every major terror strike. They can now maintain operational readiness for different contingencies," the source added. As per operational norms, the War Wastage Reserves (WWR) should be sufficient for 30 days of "intense" and 30 days of "normal" fighting, the report said. Last week, the overall defence budget saw a marginal 6.2 per cent increase in the budget for the next fiscal at Rs 2.74 lakh crore ($40.8 billion) from the Rs 2.58 lakh crore ($38.4 billion) allocated last year, with the capital outlay to cover the modernisation programmes getting a hike of 10.05 per cent. (This article first appeared on DNA)

India signs urgent arms deal of about $3 billion: Report

Former Indian air force chief S P Tyagi -- who was arrested Friday by the central bureau of investigation on charges of irregularities in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters from the UK firm AgustaWestland while he was air force chief from 2004 to 2007 -- has blamed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh&#39;s office for tweaking the deal in favour of the UK-based helicopter maker.&nbsp;

Tyagi was on Saturday sent to police custody till Dec 14 by a Delhi court,

Tyagi is accused of influencing the Rs 3,600 crore buy in favour of the UK firm.&nbsp;

Tyagi has consistently denied the charges.&nbsp;

Tyagi&#39;s cousin Sanjeev and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, who were arrested along with him, were also sent to police custody till Dec 14.&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

Tyagi is accused of influencing the purchase of 12 helicopters worth Rs 3,600 in favour of UK firm AgustaWestland

Former Indian air force chief S P Tyagi -- who was arrested Friday by the central bureau of investigation on charges of irregularities in the procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters from the UK firm AgustaWestland while he was air force chief from 2004 to 2007 -- has blamed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office for tweaking the deal in favour of the UK-based helicopter maker. Tyagi was on Saturday sent to police custody till Dec 14 by a Delhi court, Tyagi is accused of influencing the Rs 3,600 crore buy in favour of the UK firm. Tyagi has consistently denied the charges. Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev and lawyer Gautam Khaitan, who were arrested along with him, were also sent to police custody till Dec 14. (WION)

India: Ex-air force chief blames former PMO for tweaking chopper deal

Indian cabinet on Wednesday cleared the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, the fist fighter jet deal in 20 years.&nbsp; 
 
Under the deal, India will get 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition at the cost of Euros 7.8 billion.&nbsp; 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to discuss the deal which is crucial to boost the Indian Air Force. 
 
The announcement paves the way for signing of the mega deal with France. French defence minister Yves Le Drian is arriving on September 23 to finalise the deal. 
 
The deliveries will start in 36 months and finished in 66 months from the date contract is inked. 
 
The deal comes with a saving of nearly 750 million Euros than the earlier one, besides a 50 per cent offset clause.&nbsp; 
 
The jets come equipped with state-of-the-art missiles like Meteor and Scalp that will give the IAF a capability that had been sorely missing in its arsenal.&nbsp; 
 
The armaments cost about 710 million Euros while Indian specific changes, including integration of Israeli helmet mounted displays, will cost 1700 million Euros.&nbsp; 
 
Besides other features that make the Rafale a strategic weapon in the hands of the IAF is the Beyond Visual Range Meteor air-to-air missile with a range in excess of 150 kilometres. 
 
Scalp, a long-range air-to-ground cruise missile with a range in excess of 300 kilometres also gives the IAF an edge over its adversaries. 
 
French President Francois Hollande Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened in the troubled Rafale procurement last year, ordering government-to-government talks after commercial negotiations with Dassault had collapsed. 
 
India&#39;s fighter aircraft fleet, comprising Russian, British and French planes, is down to 33 squadrons as against the air force&#39;s requirement of 45. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The mega-deal to boost the Indian Air Force comes a cost of Euros 7.8 billion and a 50 percent offset clause

Indian cabinet on Wednesday cleared the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, the fist fighter jet deal in 20 years. Under the deal, India will get 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition at the cost of Euros 7.8 billion. Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to discuss the deal which is crucial to boost the Indian Air Force. The announcement paves the way for signing of the mega deal with France. French defence minister Yves Le Drian is arriving on September 23 to finalise the deal. The deliveries will start in 36 months and finished in 66 months from the date contract is inked. The deal comes with a saving of nearly 750 million Euros than the earlier one, besides a 50 per cent offset clause. The jets come equipped with state-of-the-art missiles like Meteor and Scalp that will give the IAF a capability that had been sorely missing in its arsenal. The armaments cost about 710 million Euros while Indian specific changes, including integration of Israeli helmet mounted displays, will cost 1700 million Euros. Besides other features that make the Rafale a strategic weapon in the hands of the IAF is the Beyond Visual Range Meteor air-to-air missile with a range in excess of 150 kilometres. Scalp, a long-range air-to-ground cruise missile with a range in excess of 300 kilometres also gives the IAF an edge over its adversaries. French President Francois Hollande Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened in the troubled Rafale procurement last year, ordering government-to-government talks after commercial negotiations with Dassault had collapsed. India's fighter aircraft fleet, comprising Russian, British and French planes, is down to 33 squadrons as against the air force's requirement of 45. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India approves purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets

India is all set to finalise the deal to buy 36 fighter jets from France, a defence ministry official said on Thursday. 
 
The cabinet will meet next week to agree upon a price, Reuters reported. 
 
Indian had agreed to pay 7.87 billion euros (USD 8.84 billion) for the Dassault Aviation jets and is likely to sign the deal on September 23, according to the Reuters report. 
 
The two sides have been involved in extensive talks over the price and other terms of the deal. 
 
&quot;We expect to sign the deal once the cabinet approves,&quot; a defence ministry official told Reuters. 
 
France President Francois Hollande and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened in the procurement for the Rafale jets in 2015, initiating government-to-government talks after several years of commercial negotiations with Dassault had failed. 
 
The leaders modified the original plan to buy 126 Rafale planes and have now agreed to buy 36 in fly-away condition to meet the Indian Air Force&#39;s urgent needs. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Government-to-government talks began over the Rafale jets last year after years of commercial negotiations with Dassault failed

India is all set to finalise the deal to buy 36 fighter jets from France, a defence ministry official said on Thursday. The cabinet will meet next week to agree upon a price, Reuters reported. Indian had agreed to pay 7.87 billion euros (USD 8.84 billion) for the Dassault Aviation jets and is likely to sign the deal on September 23, according to the Reuters report. The two sides have been involved in extensive talks over the price and other terms of the deal. "We expect to sign the deal once the cabinet approves," a defence ministry official told Reuters. France President Francois Hollande and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened in the procurement for the Rafale jets in 2015, initiating government-to-government talks after several years of commercial negotiations with Dassault had failed. The leaders modified the original plan to buy 126 Rafale planes and have now agreed to buy 36 in fly-away condition to meet the Indian Air Force's urgent needs. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

India close to signing Rafale jet deal with France

India is all set to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France with the deal being in its last stages of finalisation, Reuters reported. 
 
Indian government sources said that final points of the multi-billion euro deal are being worked out. Last month, the Indian prime minister&rsquo;s office had sought some clarifications on the life cycle costs and unit price of the aircraft from the defence ministry. 
 
French sources said that they are expecting positive developments over the deal this month. 
 
The deal is expected to be worth 7.89 billion euros including the weapon systems with new-age beyond visual range missile, Meteor and Israeli helmet mounted display. 
 
The price of the deal is reported to have been brought down considerably owing to India&rsquo;s negotiations and discounts by the French government. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The deal that has been in process for years is expected to be worth 7.89 billion euros including the weapon systems

India is all set to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France with the deal being in its last stages of finalisation, Reuters reported. Indian government sources said that final points of the multi-billion euro deal are being worked out. Last month, the Indian prime minister’s office had sought some clarifications on the life cycle costs and unit price of the aircraft from the defence ministry. French sources said that they are expecting positive developments over the deal this month. The deal is expected to be worth 7.89 billion euros including the weapon systems with new-age beyond visual range missile, Meteor and Israeli helmet mounted display. The price of the deal is reported to have been brought down considerably owing to India’s negotiations and discounts by the French government. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India's deal for acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in final stages

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday (July 27) some objects were located during the search for its missing military plane that disappeared into the Bay of Bengal after taking off from the southern city of Chennai with 29 people on board. 
 
The Indian Air Force (IAF) plane carrying 21 military personnel, six crew members and two civilians - was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India&#39;s Andaman and Nicobar islands, when it disappeared from radar on Friday (July 22). 
 
Speaking to reporters after a function in southern Rameswaram town, Parrikar said it was yet to be confirmed if the located objects were that of the missing plane. 
 
&quot;There is no confirmed report of anything but there are some objects located. The ships have been asked to verify them and unless something is positively located, it cannot be confirmed. As of now it is only indicated. We are not leaving anything to chances. So, we have asked ship to check up,&quot; Parrikar said. 
 
Numerous ships, submarines and aircrafts are involved in extensive search for the plane that disappeared on a routine re-supply flight over the Bay of Bengal. 
 
The aircraft was last detected on radar 151 nautical miles east of Chennai, making a left turn with a rapid loss of height from 23,000 ft, according to a note provided by the air force to the Defence Ministry. 
 
The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. 
 
The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said he has asked the ships to verify the located objects before confirming the findings

Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday (July 27) some objects were located during the search for its missing military plane that disappeared into the Bay of Bengal after taking off from the southern city of Chennai with 29 people on board. The Indian Air Force (IAF) plane carrying 21 military personnel, six crew members and two civilians - was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, when it disappeared from radar on Friday (July 22). Speaking to reporters after a function in southern Rameswaram town, Parrikar said it was yet to be confirmed if the located objects were that of the missing plane. "There is no confirmed report of anything but there are some objects located. The ships have been asked to verify them and unless something is positively located, it cannot be confirmed. As of now it is only indicated. We are not leaving anything to chances. So, we have asked ship to check up," Parrikar said. Numerous ships, submarines and aircrafts are involved in extensive search for the plane that disappeared on a routine re-supply flight over the Bay of Bengal. The aircraft was last detected on radar 151 nautical miles east of Chennai, making a left turn with a rapid loss of height from 23,000 ft, according to a note provided by the air force to the Defence Ministry. The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then (Reuters)

India locates objects during search for missing IAF plane

Two days after an Indian Air Force plane went missing, Indian Navy has sought the help of space agency, a senior navy official said today.&nbsp; 
 
The plane carrying 29, including 21 military personnel, six crew members and civilians, went missing in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. 
 
The AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India&#39;s Andaman and Nicobar islands, when it disappeared from radar. 
 
The Vice-Admiral of Eastern Naval command, HC Bisht, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)&#39;s help has been sought in locating the plane. 
 
&quot;Continuous search is going on by large number of ships. We are augmenting the search effort by larger number of ships, aircraft, helicopters, coast guard ships, air force aircraft, all these are contributing to the search effort and search effort is increasing. In addition, we are also asking for ISRO&#39;s help for satellite imaging of that area so that we have at least some information,&quot; said Bisht in the southern city of Visakhapatnam after meeting family members of Bhupath Singh, an employee of the Naval Armament Depot who was aboard the missing plane. 
 
Meanwhile, family members of missing people are keeping their fingers crossed. 
 
In northern Allahabad city, aircraftman Laxmi Kant Tripathi&#39;s family was inconsolable. 
 
&quot;He called up and said that he will leave for Andaman at around 8 pm-8:30 pm (GMT 1430-1500 hours) and then call up but I never received any call after that,&quot; said crying mother of Laxmi Kant, Meena Tripathi. 
 
&quot;Till now we have received no information. Yesterday some officials came and told us that as soon as they receive any information, they&#39;ll inform us. We are waiting but still no information has been received,&quot; said father of missing aircraftman, Narendra Nath Tripathi. 
 
Sixteen ships, six planes and a submarine have been pressed into search for the aircraft in one of India&#39;s largest search and rescue operations in recent years. 
 
Military officials said the weather had been rough in the Bay of Bengal over the last two days because of the monsoon season, hindering search operations. 
 
The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. 
 
The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Indian Space Research Organisation will help in satellite imaging to boost the search effort

Two days after an Indian Air Force plane went missing, Indian Navy has sought the help of space agency, a senior navy official said today. The plane carrying 29, including 21 military personnel, six crew members and civilians, went missing in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. The AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, when it disappeared from radar. The Vice-Admiral of Eastern Naval command, HC Bisht, said Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s help has been sought in locating the plane. "Continuous search is going on by large number of ships. We are augmenting the search effort by larger number of ships, aircraft, helicopters, coast guard ships, air force aircraft, all these are contributing to the search effort and search effort is increasing. In addition, we are also asking for ISRO's help for satellite imaging of that area so that we have at least some information," said Bisht in the southern city of Visakhapatnam after meeting family members of Bhupath Singh, an employee of the Naval Armament Depot who was aboard the missing plane. Meanwhile, family members of missing people are keeping their fingers crossed. In northern Allahabad city, aircraftman Laxmi Kant Tripathi's family was inconsolable. "He called up and said that he will leave for Andaman at around 8 pm-8:30 pm (GMT 1430-1500 hours) and then call up but I never received any call after that," said crying mother of Laxmi Kant, Meena Tripathi. "Till now we have received no information. Yesterday some officials came and told us that as soon as they receive any information, they'll inform us. We are waiting but still no information has been received," said father of missing aircraftman, Narendra Nath Tripathi. Sixteen ships, six planes and a submarine have been pressed into search for the aircraft in one of India's largest search and rescue operations in recent years. Military officials said the weather had been rough in the Bay of Bengal over the last two days because of the monsoon season, hindering search operations. The AN-32 is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. The air force has 101 of the AN-32s that entered service in 1984 and have gone through mid-life upgrades and life extensions since then. (Reuters)

Indian Navy seeks space agency's help to locate missing air force plane

An Indian Air Force plane carrying 29 military personnel to a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal went missing on Friday, the military said.&nbsp;The AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands, from the southeast city of Chennai when it disappeared from radar. 
 
A navy spokesman told Reuters surveillance planes and ships were searching for the aircraft. It was carrying service personnel to the strategic islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a military base. 
 
The last contact with the plane, which was carrying six crew members, was made around 15 minutes after take-off from the southern Indian city of Chennai, air force spokesman told AFP. 
 
The Navy has pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 13 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation 200 knot mile from east of Chennai.&nbsp; 
 
While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair. 
 
Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said, &quot;Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, Coast Guard said their reconnaissance Dornier aircraft has reached the site from where the IAF plane had sent the signals for the last time. 
 
&quot;Our Dornier (plane) has reached the site where the signals were sent by the (IAF) aircraft for the last time. We are looking for clues,&quot; said a senior Coast Guard official. 
 
Coast Guard has rushed four ships--ICGS Sagar and Samudra Pehredar from Chennai and ICGS Rajshree and ICGS Rajveer from Port Blair--to the spot. 
 
Another ships ICGS Vishwasth has been on stand-by at Prot Blair. 
 
&quot;The ships should reach the spot by night. But the rough sea is making the operations difficult,&quot; the official added.&nbsp; 
 
Ministry of defence statement 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Full scale Search &amp; Rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest.
&mdash; DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/756411001768140800">July 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
&quot;A search operation is on. The plane was airborne at 8:30 am (0300 GMT)and was supposed to land at Port Blair at 11:30,&quot; Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said. 
 
Defence sources said the plane was at about 23,000 feet when the last contact was established. 
 
Known as the &#39;Sutlej&#39; in the IAF, the An-32 is the workhorse of the transport fleet travelling to far-off bases such as Leh, Thoise, Kargil, other northern high-altitude areas in Ladakh and a number of ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds) such as Mechuka, Along, Walong and Vijaynagar in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh and adjoining areas to deliver much-needed supplies to the Army outposts. In the recent years, IAF&rsquo;s An-32s have expanded their operations by landing at more remote airstrips such as Nyoma and, even DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie) in Aksai Chin. 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp;

Four coast guard ships, a submarine and two Dornier aircraft deployed for search operations in Bay of Bengal

An Indian Air Force plane carrying 29 military personnel to a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal went missing on Friday, the military said. The AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands, from the southeast city of Chennai when it disappeared from radar. A navy spokesman told Reuters surveillance planes and ships were searching for the aircraft. It was carrying service personnel to the strategic islands near the Malacca Straits, where India has a military base. The last contact with the plane, which was carrying six crew members, was made around 15 minutes after take-off from the southern Indian city of Chennai, air force spokesman told AFP. The Navy has pressed into service two Dornier aircraft and 13 ships with the Eastern Fleet Commander on board for the search and rescue operation 200 knot mile from east of Chennai. While IAF has pressed into service a C130 plane along with two AN32, the Navy has deployed two P8i maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the strategically important Port Blair. Navy spokesperson Captain D K Sharma said, "Navy has been deployed in full force in the Bay of Bengal for the search and rescue operation". Meanwhile, Coast Guard said their reconnaissance Dornier aircraft has reached the site from where the IAF plane had sent the signals for the last time. "Our Dornier (plane) has reached the site where the signals were sent by the (IAF) aircraft for the last time. We are looking for clues," said a senior Coast Guard official. Coast Guard has rushed four ships--ICGS Sagar and Samudra Pehredar from Chennai and ICGS Rajshree and ICGS Rajveer from Port Blair--to the spot. Another ships ICGS Vishwasth has been on stand-by at Prot Blair. "The ships should reach the spot by night. But the rough sea is making the operations difficult," the official added. Ministry of defence statement Full scale Search & Rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest. — DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) July 22, 2016 "A search operation is on. The plane was airborne at 8:30 am (0300 GMT)and was supposed to land at Port Blair at 11:30," Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said. Defence sources said the plane was at about 23,000 feet when the last contact was established. Known as the 'Sutlej' in the IAF, the An-32 is the workhorse of the transport fleet travelling to far-off bases such as Leh, Thoise, Kargil, other northern high-altitude areas in Ladakh and a number of ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds) such as Mechuka, Along, Walong and Vijaynagar in the eastern sector in Arunachal Pradesh and adjoining areas to deliver much-needed supplies to the Army outposts. In the recent years, IAF’s An-32s have expanded their operations by landing at more remote airstrips such as Nyoma and, even DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie) in Aksai Chin. (Agencies)

Search for Indian Air Force plane with 29 on board ongoing

Wing Commander Pooja Thakur moved Armed Forces Tribunal after being denied permanent commission by the Indian Air Force (IAF). 
 
She is the first lady officer to lead the Inter-Service Guard of Honour which was inspected by US President Barack Obama at Rashtrapati Bhavan in January 2015. 
 
The Armed Forces Tribunal has admitted the matter and has sought IAF`s response within four weeks, Thakur&#39;s lawyer, Sudhanshu Pandey, told ANI. 
 
The officer in her petition says that the IAF&#39;s decision to reject her permanent commission is &quot;biased, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable&quot;.The incident comes after the Air Force recently allowed women fighter pilots for short service commission. 
 
Last month, the IAF scripted history by formally commissioning its first three women fighter pilots.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The incident comes after the Air Force recently allowed women fighter pilots for short service commission

Wing Commander Pooja Thakur moved Armed Forces Tribunal after being denied permanent commission by the Indian Air Force (IAF). She is the first lady officer to lead the Inter-Service Guard of Honour which was inspected by US President Barack Obama at Rashtrapati Bhavan in January 2015. The Armed Forces Tribunal has admitted the matter and has sought IAF`s response within four weeks, Thakur's lawyer, Sudhanshu Pandey, told ANI. The officer in her petition says that the IAF's decision to reject her permanent commission is "biased, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable".The incident comes after the Air Force recently allowed women fighter pilots for short service commission. Last month, the IAF scripted history by formally commissioning its first three women fighter pilots. (ANI)

Woman pilot takes Indian Air Force to court after being denied permanent commission

India&#39;s first locally-built fourth generation combat aircraft officially took to the skies today, 33 years after it was cleared for development, marking a long-held goal of cutting expensive imports to build a domestic defence-industrial base. 
 
India&#39;s fighter aircraft fleet, made up of a mix of Russian, British and French planes, is down to 33 squadrons as against the air force&#39;s requirement of 45.&nbsp; 
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government has nudged the military to accept the first version of the &quot;Tejas&quot; Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to make up for the shortfall while a more powerful subsequent model is under development. 
 
Indian Air Force officers broke coconuts and priests held multi-faith ceremonies to mark the induction of two planes in the Southern Indian city of Bengaluru. Later, the aircraft took off in the colours of the air force as fire tenders sprayed water on the tarmac in a military ritual. 
 
&quot;Moment of national pride. Indigenously developed Tejas fighter jet inducted into Air Force. Tejas will take our air strength to new heights,&quot; defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who led the drive, said in a Twitter post. 
 
Early this month China said it is still testing its first stealth fighter, the J-20, but it would enter service soon. 
 
The single-seat Indian fighter plane is considered superior to counterparts like the JF-17 aircraft jointly built by China and Pakistan. Tejas has had no accident in 3,000 hours of flying and its use of composites helps lower its radar signature, making it harder to detect early, air force officials said. 
 
&quot;The LCA is as good as any in the world in its class,&quot; said retired Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur, now a fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies in New Delhi. 
 
But the challenge for state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is making the aircraft, will be to stick to the production schedule as the air force seeks to arrest the decline in the number of planes it can deploy, he said. 
 
HAL only has the capacity to produce four Tejas planes a year, a government-appointed audit committee said in a report last year. The plan is to increase production capacity to eight, a defence ministry official said today. 
 
India is separately negotiating for the purchase of 36 top-end Rafale fighter planes from France&#39;s Dassault Aviation, a scaled-back deal that has been delayed since 2012. 
 
(Reuters)

The aircraft took to the skies today, 33 years after it was cleared for development

India's first locally-built fourth generation combat aircraft officially took to the skies today, 33 years after it was cleared for development, marking a long-held goal of cutting expensive imports to build a domestic defence-industrial base. India's fighter aircraft fleet, made up of a mix of Russian, British and French planes, is down to 33 squadrons as against the air force's requirement of 45. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has nudged the military to accept the first version of the "Tejas" Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to make up for the shortfall while a more powerful subsequent model is under development. Indian Air Force officers broke coconuts and priests held multi-faith ceremonies to mark the induction of two planes in the Southern Indian city of Bengaluru. Later, the aircraft took off in the colours of the air force as fire tenders sprayed water on the tarmac in a military ritual. "Moment of national pride. Indigenously developed Tejas fighter jet inducted into Air Force. Tejas will take our air strength to new heights," defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who led the drive, said in a Twitter post. Early this month China said it is still testing its first stealth fighter, the J-20, but it would enter service soon. The single-seat Indian fighter plane is considered superior to counterparts like the JF-17 aircraft jointly built by China and Pakistan. Tejas has had no accident in 3,000 hours of flying and its use of composites helps lower its radar signature, making it harder to detect early, air force officials said. "The LCA is as good as any in the world in its class," said retired Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur, now a fellow at the Centre for Air Power Studies in New Delhi. But the challenge for state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is making the aircraft, will be to stick to the production schedule as the air force seeks to arrest the decline in the number of planes it can deploy, he said. HAL only has the capacity to produce four Tejas planes a year, a government-appointed audit committee said in a report last year. The plan is to increase production capacity to eight, a defence ministry official said today. India is separately negotiating for the purchase of 36 top-end Rafale fighter planes from France's Dassault Aviation, a scaled-back deal that has been delayed since 2012. (Reuters)

India's first locally-built fourth generation combat plane Tejas enters service

Creating history, Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh today became the first Indian women fighter pilots to be formally commissioned by the Indian Air Force (IAF). 
 
Batting for gender parity in the armed forces, Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who was chief guest at the combined graduation ceremony at Dundugal Air Force Academy, in the southern Telangana state, termed the event as a &quot;milestone&quot; as it also the first time that women had&nbsp;been given a combat role. 
 
&quot;It is a golden letter day...,&quot; he said, asserting that &quot;step-by-step&quot;, &quot;total gender parity&quot; will be achieved in the armed forces in the coming years. 
 
&quot;There are technical and administrative difficulties which we are likely to face in certain areas, so, step by step we will see that this parity is achieved. Number will depend on how many we can accommodate depending on our infrastructure,&quot; Parrikar said. 
 
Expressing happiness, the three women pilots, who successfully completed pre-commissioning training by the flight cadets of various branches of IAF, said they consider themselves &quot;fortunate&quot; and were excited to take on their duties. 
 
The trio will go to Bidar, a city&nbsp;in the southern state of Karnataka, for their stage-III training for a year on Hawk advanced jet trainers, before they get to fly supersonic warplanes. 
 
Six female cadets were competing to become fighter pilots after the Indian government, in a landmark move, approved an IAF plan in October to induct them as fighter pilots. 
 
However, only three female trainees were selected for the fighter stream. 
 
Parrikar, who reviewed the passing out parade, conferred &#39;President&#39;s Commission&#39; on behalf the President to 130 flight cadets, including 22 women trainees, who were commissioned as flying officers.

Out of six competing female cadets, three were selected for the fighter pilot's course and training

Creating history, Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh today became the first Indian women fighter pilots to be formally commissioned by the Indian Air Force (IAF). Batting for gender parity in the armed forces, Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who was chief guest at the combined graduation ceremony at Dundugal Air Force Academy, in the southern Telangana state, termed the event as a "milestone" as it also the first time that women had been given a combat role. "It is a golden letter day...," he said, asserting that "step-by-step", "total gender parity" will be achieved in the armed forces in the coming years. "There are technical and administrative difficulties which we are likely to face in certain areas, so, step by step we will see that this parity is achieved. Number will depend on how many we can accommodate depending on our infrastructure," Parrikar said. Expressing happiness, the three women pilots, who successfully completed pre-commissioning training by the flight cadets of various branches of IAF, said they consider themselves "fortunate" and were excited to take on their duties. The trio will go to Bidar, a city in the southern state of Karnataka, for their stage-III training for a year on Hawk advanced jet trainers, before they get to fly supersonic warplanes. Six female cadets were competing to become fighter pilots after the Indian government, in a landmark move, approved an IAF plan in October to induct them as fighter pilots. However, only three female trainees were selected for the fighter stream. Parrikar, who reviewed the passing out parade, conferred 'President's Commission' on behalf the President to 130 flight cadets, including 22 women trainees, who were commissioned as flying officers.

On cloud nine: Indian Air Force commissions its first women fighter pilots

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