The Indian Air Force carried out strikes across Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and even hit key installations near Karachi, including a site at the Malir Cantonment in Karachi.
Air Marshal AK Bharti, the Director-General of Operations for the IAF, said in a special press briefing that part of India&rsquo;s &ldquo;measured and calibrated&rdquo; response to Pakistan&rsquo;s attack by drones, missile strikes, small arms fire, and artillery shelling across the border was the targeting of military installations, including a surface-to-air missile site at the Malir Cantonment near Karachi.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-downed-pakistani-mirage-jet-during-operation-sindoor-army-shares-proof-watch-9060787">India downed Pakistani Mirage Jet during Operation Sindoor, Army shares proof | Watch</a> Malir Cantonment is a military base about 35 km from the port city of Karachi, deep inside Pakistan, about 1200 km from the popular crossing point of the Wagah border. The Air Force also targeted a radar site in Lahore and another close to Gujranwala in Pakistan&rsquo;s Punjab province, he said. The Air Force successfully targeted Pakistani military installations near Karachi following confirmation of the Navy&rsquo;s role in Operation Sindoor&mdash;India&rsquo;s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack by a proxy of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The Navy&rsquo;s carrier battle groups, submarines, and aviation assets had been deployed outside the harbour in Karachi to pin down Pakistani maritime forces, said Vice Admiral AN Pramod in the Sunday press briefing.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-pak-news-dgmo-meeting-ceasefire-talks-pak-army-made-it-their-war-air-marshal-ak-bharti-at-operation-sindoor-briefing-may-12-video-9060217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India-Pak news | 'Fight was with terrorists, Pak army made it their war': Air Marshal AK Bharti at Operation Sindoor briefing</a> &ldquo;The Indian Navy remained in a &ldquo;deterrent posture with full readiness and capacity to strike select targets at sea and on land, including Karachi, at a time of our choosing,&rdquo; he said. This, Vice Admiral Pramod said, &ldquo;compelled Pakistani naval and air units to be in a defensive posture, mostly inside harbours or very close to the coast...&rdquo; for the duration of the conflict.
Operation Sindoor was a 25-minute precision strike, launched at 1.05 am on May 7, against four terrorist camps in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists were killed, and terror infrastructure was incapacitated. Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/youre-indeed-the-best-dgmo-lt-gen-rajiv-ghai-salutes-indians-for-supporting-army-during-operation-sindoor-9060423" rel="noopener" target="_blank">'You're indeed the best': DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai salutes Indians for supporting Army during Operation Sindoor</a> The strike provoked a military counterattack from Pakistan, which fired waves of drones and missiles at military establishments and facilities in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab, leading to air raid sirens and blackouts in cities. India launched &ldquo;swift and calibrated responses&rdquo; that targeted Pakistani air bases in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, and Rahim Yar Khan. Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news-0/ten-satellites-continuously-operational-to-ensure-indias-safety-and-security-says-isro-chief-9059958" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Ten satellites continuously operational to ensure India's safety and security, says ISRO chief</a> "Pakistan&rsquo;s attacks in response caused limited damage... to equipment and personnel at air bases at Udhampur (in J&amp;K), Pathankot and Adampur (in Punjab), and Bhuj (in Gujarat),&rdquo; India said. The two sides settled on a ceasefire on Saturday, May 10, and peace has held since. India has warned Pakistan that violations will incur a more forceful military response.
&nbsp;

India News | Pakistan: Malir Cantonment is a military base about 35 km from the port city of Karachi, deep inside Pakistan, about 1200 km from the popular crossing point of the Wagah border.

The Indian Air Force carried out strikes across Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and even hit key installations near Karachi, including a site at the Malir Cantonment in Karachi. Air Marshal AK Bharti, the Director-General of Operations for the IAF, said in a special press briefing that part of India’s “measured and calibrated” response to Pakistan’s attack by drones, missile strikes, small arms fire, and artillery shelling across the border was the targeting of military installations, including a surface-to-air missile site at the Malir Cantonment near Karachi. Also Read | India downed Pakistani Mirage Jet during Operation Sindoor, Army shares proof | Watch Malir Cantonment is a military base about 35 km from the port city of Karachi, deep inside Pakistan, about 1200 km from the popular crossing point of the Wagah border. The Air Force also targeted a radar site in Lahore and another close to Gujranwala in Pakistan’s Punjab province, he said. The Air Force successfully targeted Pakistani military installations near Karachi following confirmation of the Navy’s role in Operation Sindoor—India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack by a proxy of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. The Navy’s carrier battle groups, submarines, and aviation assets had been deployed outside the harbour in Karachi to pin down Pakistani maritime forces, said Vice Admiral AN Pramod in the Sunday press briefing. Also Read | India-Pak news | 'Fight was with terrorists, Pak army made it their war': Air Marshal AK Bharti at Operation Sindoor briefing “The Indian Navy remained in a “deterrent posture with full readiness and capacity to strike select targets at sea and on land, including Karachi, at a time of our choosing,” he said. This, Vice Admiral Pramod said, “compelled Pakistani naval and air units to be in a defensive posture, mostly inside harbours or very close to the coast...” for the duration of the conflict. Operation Sindoor was a 25-minute precision strike, launched at 1.05 am on May 7, against four terrorist camps in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Over 100 terrorists were killed, and terror infrastructure was incapacitated. Also read | 'You're indeed the best': DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai salutes Indians for supporting Army during Operation Sindoor The strike provoked a military counterattack from Pakistan, which fired waves of drones and missiles at military establishments and facilities in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab, leading to air raid sirens and blackouts in cities. India launched “swift and calibrated responses” that targeted Pakistani air bases in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, and Rahim Yar Khan. Also read | Ten satellites continuously operational to ensure India's safety and security, says ISRO chief "Pakistan’s attacks in response caused limited damage... to equipment and personnel at air bases at Udhampur (in J&K), Pathankot and Adampur (in Punjab), and Bhuj (in Gujarat),” India said. The two sides settled on a ceasefire on Saturday, May 10, and peace has held since. India has warned Pakistan that violations will incur a more forceful military response.

Indian Air Force struck missile site at Malir Cantt near Pakistan’s port city of Karachi

The Indian Air Force neutralised a key Pakistani air defence radar system near Lahore. This action followed Pakistan’s attempted military engagement along India’s northern and western borders.

BREAKING | India uses UAS grid and air defence systems to counter Pakistan

The Indian Air Force will carry out a large-scale military exercise in Rajasthan, close to the international border with Pakistan. The drill was confirmed through a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on Tuesday.
The exercise is set to start at 3:30 PM on 7 May and will continue until 9:30 PM on 8 May. During this period, airspace in the region will be restricted. Flights landing at or departing from airports near the border are expected to be suspended.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pahalgam-attack-unsc-refuses-to-accept-false-flag-theory-questions-pak-on-let-involvement-9040157" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pahalgam attack: UNSC refuses to accept 'false flag' theory, questions Pak on LeT involvement</a>
<h2>Exercise comes days after the Pahalgam terror attack</h2>
The timing of the military exercise is significant, coming just days after a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed. The area remains tense as India responds to the latest cross-border violence.
Though the Indian Ministry of Defence has not directly linked the upcoming drill to the recent attack, it is widely seen as a clear signal of India&rsquo;s readiness and alertness in a volatile situation.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-linked-to-1999-kandahar-hijack-heres-how-9038043" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Pahalgam terror attack linked to 1999 Kandahar hijack? Here's how</a>
<h2>Pakistan-India airspace tensions escalate</h2>
This development follows India&rsquo;s move to ban all Pakistani-registered and military aircraft from its airspace. The restriction began on 30 April and will remain in effect until 23 May.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/how-pakistan-got-the-nuclear-bomb-india-pahalgam-terror-attack-9007958" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">'Will go hungry, but get the bomb&rsquo;: How Pakistan got the nuclear bomb? A story of desperation, fear, and rivalry with India</a>
The decision was made in response to Pakistan&rsquo;s earlier ban on Indian flights, which came after the deadly Pahalgam attack. The reciprocal airspace closures mark a serious escalation in tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/inside-india-pakistans-nuclear-arsenals-who-has-more-and-what-would-happen-if-new-delhi-islamabad-unleash-their-nukes-pahalgam-terror-attack-9007737" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Inside India, Pakistan&rsquo;s nuclear arsenals: Who has more, and what would happen if New Delhi, Islamabad unleash their nukes?</a>

India news: The exercise is set to start at 3:30 PM on 7 May and will continue until 9:30 PM on 8 May. During this period, airspace in the region will be restricted.

The Indian Air Force will carry out a large-scale military exercise in Rajasthan, close to the international border with Pakistan. The drill was confirmed through a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on Tuesday. The exercise is set to start at 3:30 PM on 7 May and will continue until 9:30 PM on 8 May. During this period, airspace in the region will be restricted. Flights landing at or departing from airports near the border are expected to be suspended. Also read: Pahalgam attack: UNSC refuses to accept 'false flag' theory, questions Pak on LeT involvement Exercise comes days after the Pahalgam terror attack The timing of the military exercise is significant, coming just days after a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed. The area remains tense as India responds to the latest cross-border violence. Though the Indian Ministry of Defence has not directly linked the upcoming drill to the recent attack, it is widely seen as a clear signal of India’s readiness and alertness in a volatile situation. Also read: Pahalgam terror attack linked to 1999 Kandahar hijack? Here's how Pakistan-India airspace tensions escalate This development follows India’s move to ban all Pakistani-registered and military aircraft from its airspace. The restriction began on 30 April and will remain in effect until 23 May. Also read: 'Will go hungry, but get the bomb’: How Pakistan got the nuclear bomb? A story of desperation, fear, and rivalry with India The decision was made in response to Pakistan’s earlier ban on Indian flights, which came after the deadly Pahalgam attack. The reciprocal airspace closures mark a serious escalation in tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Also read: Inside India, Pakistan’s nuclear arsenals: Who has more, and what would happen if New Delhi, Islamabad unleash their nukes?

India to hold major air force drills near Pakistan border two weeks after Pahalgam terror attack: Why it matters

The Indian government has cleared the resumption of the operation of the Army and Air Force versions of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, which have been grounded for over three months. The clearance was based on the recommendations of the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee, defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said on Thursday (May 1).
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dont-target-kashmiris-muslims-appeals-widow-of-navy-officer-killed-in-pahalgam-terror-attack-9023200">'Don't target Kashmiris, Muslims', appeals widow of Navy officer killed in Pahalgam terror attack</a>
&ldquo;In furtherance of the clarification dated 11th April 2025, it is now intimated that the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv Army and Air Force versions are cleared for operations based on the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee recommendations. A time-bound plan for the resumption of operations has been worked out with the users,&rdquo; HAL said in a statement on X.
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In furtherance to the clarification dated 11th April 2025, it is now intimated that the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv Army and Air Force versions are cleared for operations based on the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee recommendations.
&mdash; HAL (@HALHQBLR) <a href="https://twitter.com/HALHQBLR/status/1917906189184340007?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard versions of the choppers will continue to be grounded as the investigations are still ongoing.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-hunt-down-every-perpetrator-amit-shahs-warning-to-terrorists-on-pahalgam-attack-9023281">&lsquo;Will hunt down every perpetrator&rsquo;: Amit Shah&rsquo;s warning to terrorists on Pahalgam attack</a>
The choppers were grounded following a crash earlier this year in which an Indian Coast Guard chopper crashed in Gujarat&rsquo;s Porbandar, killing three personnel, including two pilots and one aircrew member. After the incident, a Board of Inquiry was launched.
According to officials, the incident occurred during a routine training sortie when the ICG ALH MK-III helicopter crashed while landing at Porbandar airport. Since the tragic incident, the choppers had been grounded.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-attack-pakistan-disowns-its-people-refusal-to-open-border-for-hours-leaves-many-stranded-at-wagah-attari-9022968">Pahalgam attack: Pakistan disowns its people? Refusal to open border for hours leaves many stranded at Wagah-Attari</a>
The helicopters were given limited permission to fly following the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s Pahalgam, to operate in Srinagar and the adjoining area for troop induction, ANI reported.
On April 22, 26 people, mainly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in a horrific terror attack. Since the attack, the tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating.

The choppers were grounded following a crash earlier this year in which an Indian Coast Guard chopper crashed in Gujarat’s Porbandar, killing three personnel, including two pilots and one aircrew member. India news

The Indian government has cleared the resumption of the operation of the Army and Air Force versions of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, which have been grounded for over three months. The clearance was based on the recommendations of the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee, defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said on Thursday (May 1). Also read | 'Don't target Kashmiris, Muslims', appeals widow of Navy officer killed in Pahalgam terror attack “In furtherance of the clarification dated 11th April 2025, it is now intimated that the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv Army and Air Force versions are cleared for operations based on the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee recommendations. A time-bound plan for the resumption of operations has been worked out with the users,” HAL said in a statement on X. In furtherance to the clarification dated 11th April 2025, it is now intimated that the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv Army and Air Force versions are cleared for operations based on the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee recommendations. — HAL (@HALHQBLR) May 1, 2025 The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard versions of the choppers will continue to be grounded as the investigations are still ongoing. Also read | ‘Will hunt down every perpetrator’: Amit Shah’s warning to terrorists on Pahalgam attack The choppers were grounded following a crash earlier this year in which an Indian Coast Guard chopper crashed in Gujarat’s Porbandar, killing three personnel, including two pilots and one aircrew member. After the incident, a Board of Inquiry was launched. According to officials, the incident occurred during a routine training sortie when the ICG ALH MK-III helicopter crashed while landing at Porbandar airport. Since the tragic incident, the choppers had been grounded. Also read | Pahalgam attack: Pakistan disowns its people? Refusal to open border for hours leaves many stranded at Wagah-Attari The helicopters were given limited permission to fly following the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, to operate in Srinagar and the adjoining area for troop induction, ANI reported. On April 22, 26 people, mainly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in a horrific terror attack. Since the attack, the tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating.

Indian govt clears operation of Army, Air Force versions of ALH Dhruv choppers

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India on Thursday (May 1) fact-checked a false claim made by several &ldquo;pro-Pakistan&rdquo; social media accounts that have claimed that Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, was sacked &ldquo;for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafales-and-su-30s-lead-indian-air-forces-exercise-aakraman-amid-tensions-with-pakistan-9000497">Rafales and Su-30s lead Indian Air Force's Exercise 'Aakraman' amid tensions with Pakistan. Aakraman means attack</a>
The PIB clarified that Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired from his position on Wednesday (Apr 30) on superannuation from the Indian Air Force after completing 40 years of service.
In an X post, the PIB stated, &ldquo;Several pro-Pakistan social media accounts have falsely claimed that Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been sacked for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-how-much-lower-will-you-go-dhawan-slams-pakistan-shahid-afridi-for-rhetorical-anti-indian-army-comments-9014081">Pahalgam terror attack | 'How much lower will you go:' Dhawan slams Shahid Afridi for 'pointless' anti-Indian Army comments</a>
&ldquo;The claims being made in these posts are fake,&rdquo; it added. &ldquo;Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 30 April 2025, on superannuation from the #IndianAirForce after completion of 40 years of service.&rdquo;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-ma5d5ob7-pq3uew72-eoye1rdo">
Several pro-Pakistan social media accounts have falsely claimed that Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been sacked for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PIBFactCheck?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PIBFactCheck</a> ❌The claims being made in these posts are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fake?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fake</a> ✅ Air Marshal&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/ydBZOJIv9r">pic.twitter.com/ydBZOJIv9r</a>
&mdash; PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) <a href="https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1917896593761771976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
This comes amid the heightened tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s Pahalgam that happened on April 22.
<h2>Who is Air Marshal SP Dharkar?</h2>
Air Marshal Sujeet P Dharkar became the vice-chief of the Indian Air Force last year in October. An IAF officer for around 40 years, he previously served as senior air staff officer of the South Western Air Command in Gandhinagar.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-terror-attack-martyr-status-for-pahalgam-victims-rahul-gandhi-request-to-pm-modi-for-victims-killed-in-cold-blood-in-jk-attack-india-9022531">'Martyr status for Pahalgam victims?': Rahul Gandhi's request to PM Modi for those killed in 'cold blood' in J&amp;K attack</a>
Air Marshal Dharkar has experience in handling space issues and expertise in ground attack roles. Originally, he was a MiG-23 and MiG-27 pilot.
As the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dharkar looked over operations and intelligence. He is an alumnus of the US Air Force Air War College in Montgomery.
<h2>Pahalgam terror attack</h2>
On April 22, 26 people, mainly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in a horrific terror attack. The region is a popular tourist spot and is located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;
Watch | India-Pak conflict: Pak appoints ISI chief, appointment comes in backdrop of the Pahalgam attack
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/0105_pak_4pm/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/0105_pak_4pm.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=512&amp;tags=india, pakistan, pahalgam, terrorism" title="India-Pak conflict: Pak appoints ISI chief, appointment comes in backdrop of the Pahalgam attack " id="PL_iframe_block-ma5d8uen-3hrppzzq-9d3mbvse"></iframe>
Known as the &lsquo;mini-Switzerland&rsquo; of India, Baisaran is a popular tourist spot and is located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. The meadow is accessible only on foot or by pony and is also a popular trekking location. The rugged, steep, and difficult-to-traverse terrain made it a likely target for terrorists.

The PIB clarified that Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired from his position on Wednesday (Apr 30) on superannuation from the Indian Air Force after completing 40 years of service. India news

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India on Thursday (May 1) fact-checked a false claim made by several “pro-Pakistan” social media accounts that have claimed that Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, was sacked “for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan. Also read | Rafales and Su-30s lead Indian Air Force's Exercise 'Aakraman' amid tensions with Pakistan. Aakraman means attack The PIB clarified that Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired from his position on Wednesday (Apr 30) on superannuation from the Indian Air Force after completing 40 years of service. In an X post, the PIB stated, “Several pro-Pakistan social media accounts have falsely claimed that Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been sacked for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan.” Also read | Pahalgam terror attack | 'How much lower will you go:' Dhawan slams Shahid Afridi for 'pointless' anti-Indian Army comments “The claims being made in these posts are fake,” it added. “Air Marshal SP Dharkar retired as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on 30 April 2025, on superannuation from the #IndianAirForce after completion of 40 years of service.” Several pro-Pakistan social media accounts have falsely claimed that Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, has been sacked for refusing to fight a war against Pakistan #PIBFactCheck ❌The claims being made in these posts are #fake ✅ Air Marshal… pic.twitter.com/ydBZOJIv9r — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 1, 2025 This comes amid the heightened tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that happened on April 22. Who is Air Marshal SP Dharkar? Air Marshal Sujeet P Dharkar became the vice-chief of the Indian Air Force last year in October. An IAF officer for around 40 years, he previously served as senior air staff officer of the South Western Air Command in Gandhinagar. Also read | 'Martyr status for Pahalgam victims?': Rahul Gandhi's request to PM Modi for those killed in 'cold blood' in J&K attack Air Marshal Dharkar has experience in handling space issues and expertise in ground attack roles. Originally, he was a MiG-23 and MiG-27 pilot. As the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dharkar looked over operations and intelligence. He is an alumnus of the US Air Force Air War College in Montgomery. Pahalgam terror attack On April 22, 26 people, mainly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam in a horrific terror attack. The region is a popular tourist spot and is located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. Watch | India-Pak conflict: Pak appoints ISI chief, appointment comes in backdrop of the Pahalgam attack Known as the ‘mini-Switzerland’ of India, Baisaran is a popular tourist spot and is located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. The meadow is accessible only on foot or by pony and is also a popular trekking location. The rugged, steep, and difficult-to-traverse terrain made it a likely target for terrorists.

Pro-Pak social media is spreading fake news about Air Marshal SP Dharkar. Now, Indian govt has fact-checked them

Since August 2024, Indian Air Force fighter pilots-turned-Indian astronaut candidates Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair have trained at the human spaceflight centres in the US, Japan, and Europe. This was in preparation for the American commercial mission Axiom-4, scheduled for launch in May 2025, that will see an Indian astronaut (Shukla) returning to space after 41 years. Shukla will be the first Indian astronaut to fly to the International Space Station, an orbiting lab that is 425 km above the earth.
Responding to questions from WION&rsquo;s Sidharth.M.P, veteran American astronaut Peggy Whitson, who leads the Axiom-4 mission elaborated on the training undertaken by the Indian duo.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-building-more-nuclear-icebreakers-to-cut-worsening-arctic-8924309">Russia building more Nuclear icebreakers to cut 'worsening Arctic'</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-building-more-nuclear-icebreakers-to-cut-worsening-arctic-8924309">&nbsp;</a>
Whitson, who also serves as the Director of Human Spaceflight at the American firm, said, Axiom Space mission astronauts undergo training set by us, NASA, SpaceX, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and European Space Agency (ESA) to prepare them for missions to low Earth-orbit (LEO) and operations aboard the International Space Station. These training programmes ensure the crew is adept at functioning within the space station&rsquo;s multinational environment and to efficiently and successfully execute their mission tasks onboard.
An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the space station, they are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.
The training completed with the European Space Agency covers communications systems, emergency response procedures, and conducting research activities inside the Columbus module. This module, which is Europe&rsquo;s contribution to the International Space Station, allows researchers on the ground, aided by the station&rsquo;s crew, to conduct research in a weightless environment. In addition, experiments and applications can be conducted outside the module in the vacuum of space.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-aims-four-fold-hike-in-arctic-shipping-rosatom-chief-8914297">Russia aims four-fold hike in Arctic shipping: Rosatom Chief</a>
The crew completed rigorous training sessions at JAXA&rsquo;s Tsukuba Space Centre in Japan, concentrating on understanding the operation of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), known as Kibō.&nbsp; Kibō, Japanese for &ldquo;hope&rdquo;, is a space research facility enabling astronauts to investigate a variety of space phenomena. Experiments range from biology to physics to technology.
While both Indian candidates, Shukla and Nair, have undergone the aforementioned training, Shukla is the primary candidate for the Axiom-4 mission. However, the overall training and experience gathered by the Indian duo would benefit the fledgling Indian human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan, which aims to launch Indian astronauts to low earth orbit and bring them home safely. The Indian government has also outlined long-term plans to build a crewed space station and carry out crewed moon landings.
Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where the crew will stay for two weeks and perform various experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation&rsquo;s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crewmembers will represent their nations in LEO and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance.
Peggy Whitson, aged 65, who has spent a cumulative 675 days aboard the space station will be leading Axiom-4 as its Mission Commander. The Commander leads, trains and guides the crew. Shukla will serve as the Pilot, who will be second-in-command, and works operations of the Dragon spacecraft that ferries them to space and back. The two other astronauts from Poland and Hungary will serve as Mission Specialists with emphasis on research.
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&nbsp;

World | India News: Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they will stay for 2 weeks and perform various experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule.

Since August 2024, Indian Air Force fighter pilots-turned-Indian astronaut candidates Group Captains Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair have trained at the human spaceflight centres in the US, Japan, and Europe. This was in preparation for the American commercial mission Axiom-4, scheduled for launch in May 2025, that will see an Indian astronaut (Shukla) returning to space after 41 years. Shukla will be the first Indian astronaut to fly to the International Space Station, an orbiting lab that is 425 km above the earth. Responding to questions from WION’s Sidharth.M.P, veteran American astronaut Peggy Whitson, who leads the Axiom-4 mission elaborated on the training undertaken by the Indian duo. Also Read | Russia building more Nuclear icebreakers to cut 'worsening Arctic' Whitson, who also serves as the Director of Human Spaceflight at the American firm, said, Axiom Space mission astronauts undergo training set by us, NASA, SpaceX, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and European Space Agency (ESA) to prepare them for missions to low Earth-orbit (LEO) and operations aboard the International Space Station. These training programmes ensure the crew is adept at functioning within the space station’s multinational environment and to efficiently and successfully execute their mission tasks onboard. An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the space station, they are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The training completed with the European Space Agency covers communications systems, emergency response procedures, and conducting research activities inside the Columbus module. This module, which is Europe’s contribution to the International Space Station, allows researchers on the ground, aided by the station’s crew, to conduct research in a weightless environment. In addition, experiments and applications can be conducted outside the module in the vacuum of space. Also Read | Russia aims four-fold hike in Arctic shipping: Rosatom Chief The crew completed rigorous training sessions at JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Centre in Japan, concentrating on understanding the operation of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), known as Kibō. Kibō, Japanese for “hope”, is a space research facility enabling astronauts to investigate a variety of space phenomena. Experiments range from biology to physics to technology. While both Indian candidates, Shukla and Nair, have undergone the aforementioned training, Shukla is the primary candidate for the Axiom-4 mission. However, the overall training and experience gathered by the Indian duo would benefit the fledgling Indian human spaceflight programme Gaganyaan, which aims to launch Indian astronauts to low earth orbit and bring them home safely. The Indian government has also outlined long-term plans to build a crewed space station and carry out crewed moon landings. Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where the crew will stay for two weeks and perform various experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crewmembers will represent their nations in LEO and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance. Peggy Whitson, aged 65, who has spent a cumulative 675 days aboard the space station will be leading Axiom-4 as its Mission Commander. The Commander leads, trains and guides the crew. Shukla will serve as the Pilot, who will be second-in-command, and works operations of the Dragon spacecraft that ferries them to space and back. The two other astronauts from Poland and Hungary will serve as Mission Specialists with emphasis on research.

Exclusive: Indian astronauts Shukla, Nair trained in US, EU, Japan

The report on the Empowered Committee for capability enhancement of the Indian Air Force (IAF) presented by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Monday highlights key thrust areas and makes recommendations for the implementation in the short, medium and long-term to achieve the IAF's "desired capability enhancement goals".
Singh presented the report to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
According to a release by the Ministry of Defence, the report has focused on the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the aerospace sector while advocating for increased private sector involvement alongside Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Appreciating the committee's work, Rajnath Singh directed that the recommendations be followed up in a time-bound manner.
The committee was formed on the directive of Defence Minister Singh, where the task was to examine key issues and prepare a "clear plan of action".
It was chaired by the Defence Secretary and included the Vice Chief of Air Staff, Secretary (Defence Production), Secretary, Department of Defence R&amp;D and Chairman DRDO, and DG Acquisition as members, with the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff serving as Member Secretary.
Earlier today, the Defence Minister called upon the people to contribute wholeheartedly to the welfare of soldiers and their families, terming it the national duty of every citizen while addressing the Armed Forces Flag Day Corporate Social Responsibility (AFFD CSR) Conclave in New Delhi.
Rajnath Singh stated that India's soldiers always stand firm, vigilant and ready at the borders in difficult conditions to protect the country from all kinds of threats with courage and promptness."While the Government is committed to strengthening India's security apparatus and ensuring the welfare of its soldiers and their families, it is the nation's collective responsibility to come forward and support them in every way possible," Singh said.
He asserted that CSR is not about a two percent contribution; it is a matter of heart-to-heart connection with the brave soldiers and their dependents.&nbsp;
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience. 
&nbsp;

The Defence Secretary's report outlines short, medium, and long-term goals to achieve desired IAF enhancements, with a focus on self-reliance and strategic development.

The report on the Empowered Committee for capability enhancement of the Indian Air Force (IAF) presented by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Monday highlights key thrust areas and makes recommendations for the implementation in the short, medium and long-term to achieve the IAF's "desired capability enhancement goals". Singh presented the report to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. According to a release by the Ministry of Defence, the report has focused on the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the aerospace sector while advocating for increased private sector involvement alongside Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Appreciating the committee's work, Rajnath Singh directed that the recommendations be followed up in a time-bound manner. The committee was formed on the directive of Defence Minister Singh, where the task was to examine key issues and prepare a "clear plan of action". It was chaired by the Defence Secretary and included the Vice Chief of Air Staff, Secretary (Defence Production), Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, and DG Acquisition as members, with the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff serving as Member Secretary. Earlier today, the Defence Minister called upon the people to contribute wholeheartedly to the welfare of soldiers and their families, terming it the national duty of every citizen while addressing the Armed Forces Flag Day Corporate Social Responsibility (AFFD CSR) Conclave in New Delhi. Rajnath Singh stated that India's soldiers always stand firm, vigilant and ready at the borders in difficult conditions to protect the country from all kinds of threats with courage and promptness."While the Government is committed to strengthening India's security apparatus and ensuring the welfare of its soldiers and their families, it is the nation's collective responsibility to come forward and support them in every way possible," Singh said. He asserted that CSR is not about a two percent contribution; it is a matter of heart-to-heart connection with the brave soldiers and their dependents. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

India 'aatmanirbharta' in aerospace: IAF capability enhancement report out

The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior, an advanced unmanned wingman drone developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), took centre stage at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru. Watch this report for more details!

Aero India 2025: India unveils Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) warrior drone

The Indian Air Force is sounding the alarm over delayed deliveries of Tejas Mk1A fighter jets, with Air Chief Marshal AP Singh expressing his dissatisfaction with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at the Aero India show in Bengaluru.
During an inspection at the event, ACM Singh expressed his dissatisfaction to HAL officials. Singh said that he has &ldquo;no confidence&rdquo; in the state-owned aerospace firm.
"I can only share our concerns and requirements&hellip; At this point, I have no confidence in HAL, which is not a good situation," ACM Singh said in a video shared by the defence news platform NationalDefence.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lt-chairman-says-labourers-in-india-not-willing-to-work-blames-govt-beneficiary-schemes-8713117">L&amp;T chairman says labourers in India not willing to work, blames govt beneficiary schemes</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">HAL not working in &ldquo;mission mode&rdquo;</h2>
The IAF has ordered 83 of these aircraft to strengthen its fighter squadrons, but the delays are causing concerns.
Singh further said that HAL did not appear to be working in "mission mode". &ldquo;HAL is our own company. We all have worked there. I have also served in HAL as a temporary pilot...But I find that we are just not in mission mode.&rdquo;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/maha-kumbh-2025-magh-purnima-amrit-snan-begins-in-prayagraaj-with-record-billions-in-attendance-8712549">Maha Kumbh 2025: Magh Purnima Amrit Snan begins in Prayagraj with record millions in attendance</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">What did HAL chief DK Sunil say?</h2>
When asked a question on the concerns flagged on multiple occasions by the IAF chief on the delay, HAL chief DK Sunil said on Tuesday that the chief&rsquo;s concern is understandable as the air force&rsquo;s fighter strength was going down.
&ldquo;We have now promised that we will have all the (Mk-1A) structures ready and have conveyed this to the IAF during multiple meetings at various levels. Once the engines are available, the Mk-1As will start rolling out,&rdquo; Sunil said at a media briefing.
The Mk-1A is an advanced variant of the Mk-1, which has already been inducted by IAF. The LCA is set to emerge as the cornerstone of IAF&rsquo;s combat power as the world&rsquo;s fourth largest air force is expected to operate around 350 LCAs (Mk-1, Mk-1A and Mk-2 versions) in the coming decade and beyond.
(With inputs from agencies)

India News: The IAF raises concerns over the delay in Tejas MkA jet deliveries, with dissatisfaction expressed by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh at Aero India in Bengaluru.

The Indian Air Force is sounding the alarm over delayed deliveries of Tejas Mk1A fighter jets, with Air Chief Marshal AP Singh expressing his dissatisfaction with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at the Aero India show in Bengaluru. During an inspection at the event, ACM Singh expressed his dissatisfaction to HAL officials. Singh said that he has “no confidence” in the state-owned aerospace firm. "I can only share our concerns and requirements… At this point, I have no confidence in HAL, which is not a good situation," ACM Singh said in a video shared by the defence news platform NationalDefence. Also read | L&T chairman says labourers in India not willing to work, blames govt beneficiary schemes HAL not working in “mission mode” The IAF has ordered 83 of these aircraft to strengthen its fighter squadrons, but the delays are causing concerns. Singh further said that HAL did not appear to be working in "mission mode". “HAL is our own company. We all have worked there. I have also served in HAL as a temporary pilot...But I find that we are just not in mission mode.” Also read | Maha Kumbh 2025: Magh Purnima Amrit Snan begins in Prayagraj with record millions in attendance What did HAL chief DK Sunil say? When asked a question on the concerns flagged on multiple occasions by the IAF chief on the delay, HAL chief DK Sunil said on Tuesday that the chief’s concern is understandable as the air force’s fighter strength was going down. “We have now promised that we will have all the (Mk-1A) structures ready and have conveyed this to the IAF during multiple meetings at various levels. Once the engines are available, the Mk-1As will start rolling out,” Sunil said at a media briefing. The Mk-1A is an advanced variant of the Mk-1, which has already been inducted by IAF. The LCA is set to emerge as the cornerstone of IAF’s combat power as the world’s fourth largest air force is expected to operate around 350 LCAs (Mk-1, Mk-1A and Mk-2 versions) in the coming decade and beyond. (With inputs from agencies)

‘No confidence in HAL’: Indian Air Force chief expresses concern over delayed deliveries of Tejas jet

A twin-seater Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft crashed near Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday (Feb 6) while it was on a routine training sortie, after encountering a system malfunction.
In a post on X, the Indian Air Force informed that both the pilots were ejected safely. An enquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident"
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashes near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh; probe ordered to ascertain cause: Defence officials . . . . .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IAF</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianAirForce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianAirForce</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Shivpuri?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Shivpuri</a> <a href="https://t.co/VUqA7TmYQ1">pic.twitter.com/VUqA7TmYQ1</a>
&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1887446312423231871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"A Mirage 2000 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Shivpuri (Gwalior), during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. Both the pilots ejected safely. An enquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF posted on X.
There is also a single-seater version of the Mirage 2000. The multirole fighter jet Mirage 2000, built by France's Dassault Aviation, flew for the first time in 1978.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nurse-suspended-for-using-fevikwik-instead-of-stitches-on-7-year-old-childs-wound-in-karnataka-8697036">Nurse suspended for using Fevikwik instead of stitches on 7-year-old child&rsquo;s wound in Karnataka</a>
<h2>MiG-29 fighter jet crashed in Nov, 2024</h2>
A MiG-29 fighter jet crashed into a field near Uttar Pradesh's Agra in November 2024, during a routine training sortie due to a technical glitch. The pilot ejected himself to safety at the time of the crash.
When the incident happend, the plane had taken off from Adampur in Punjab and was on its way to Agra for an exercise.
"A MiG-29 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Agra during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. The pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on the ground, before ejecting safely. An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident", the Air Force had said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)

India News: A twin-seater Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft crashed near Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.  A Court of inquiry has been ordered to find the cause of the crash.

A twin-seater Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft crashed near Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday (Feb 6) while it was on a routine training sortie, after encountering a system malfunction. In a post on X, the Indian Air Force informed that both the pilots were ejected safely. An enquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident" Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashes near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh; probe ordered to ascertain cause: Defence officials . . . . .#IAF #IndianAirForce #Shivpuri pic.twitter.com/VUqA7TmYQ1 — WION (@WIONews) February 6, 2025 "A Mirage 2000 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Shivpuri (Gwalior), during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. Both the pilots ejected safely. An enquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF posted on X. There is also a single-seater version of the Mirage 2000. The multirole fighter jet Mirage 2000, built by France's Dassault Aviation, flew for the first time in 1978. Also read | Nurse suspended for using Fevikwik instead of stitches on 7-year-old child’s wound in Karnataka MiG-29 fighter jet crashed in Nov, 2024 A MiG-29 fighter jet crashed into a field near Uttar Pradesh's Agra in November 2024, during a routine training sortie due to a technical glitch. The pilot ejected himself to safety at the time of the crash. When the incident happend, the plane had taken off from Adampur in Punjab and was on its way to Agra for an exercise. "A MiG-29 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Agra during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. The pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on the ground, before ejecting safely. An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF to ascertain the cause of the accident", the Air Force had said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000 aircraft crashes near Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh

Expressing his frustration against the slow-paced delivery of Tejas fighters by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Tuesday (Jan 7) that &ldquo;technology delayed is technology denied&rdquo;. Singh highlighted that the HAL is yet to deliver the first batch of 40 Tejas fighters, the process for which started in 2016.&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-are-delhi-assembly-elections-scheduled-for-wednesday-india-chief-election-commissioner-rajiv-kumar-explains-8600043" aria-label="Why are Delhi elections scheduled for Wednesday? India CEC Rajiv Kumar explains">Why are Delhi elections scheduled for Wednesday? India CEC Rajiv Kumar explains</a>
During his address at the 21st Subroto Mukerjee Seminar, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, said, "R&amp;D loses its relevance if it is not able to meet the timeline. Time is a very important thing. We need to give greater leeway to the researchers. There will be failures, let's not be scared of failures. I think we are losing a lot of time because we are scared of failure...Defence is one sector where time is very important. If we don't meet the timeline, technology is of no use. So we need to learn from our failures, move on, and not be scared of those failures...R&amp;D funds are woefully short. We are just about at 5%, should be at 15% (of the defence budget). We have to make sure that these funds are increased and they are available to private players also."&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m5mri57q-3yz5x4qx-iyldsogb">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Delhi | During his address at the 21st Subroto Mukerjee Seminar, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh says, "...R&amp;D loses its relevance if it is not able to meet the timeline. Time is a very important thing. We need to give greater leeway to the&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/rgmAKNhVeG">pic.twitter.com/rgmAKNhVeG</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1876647947347345565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
&ldquo;Production agencies have to invest in their advanced manufacturing processes so that the speed can increase. Upskilling their manpower and whatever they do, the scale of the production has to go up. Tejas, we started inducting in 2016,&rdquo; Singh further added in his speech.&nbsp;
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-govt-approves-site-for-former-president-pranab-mukherjees-memorial-8599856" aria-label="Indian govt approves site for former president Pranab Mukherjee's memorial">Indian govt approves site for former president Pranab Mukherjee's memorial</a>
Singh said that the first Tejas aircraft flew in 2001 and another induction started 15 years later in 2016. Now, when we have crossed 2024, Singh said he is yet to "have the first 40 aircraft".&nbsp;
"This is the production capability. We need to do something. I am very convinced that we need to get some private players in. We need to have competition. We need to have multiple sources available so that people are wary of losing their orders. Otherwise, things will not change,&rdquo; he said.
Also read | <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-apex-court-rejects-custody-of-atul-subhashs-son-to-grandmother-by-calling-her-stranger-to-child-8599008" aria-label="Indian apex court denies custody of Atul Subhash's son to grandmother, says she is 'stranger' to child">Indian apex court denies custody of Atul Subhash's son to grandmother, says she is 'stranger' to child</a>
He expressed the concern that there has been an increase in the militarisation by China and Pakistan on the borders, and it's a major security concern for India.&nbsp;
He further talked about China's advanced air force, saying that China is heavily investing in its air force. He said the recent unveiling of its new stealth aircraft is the fresh instant of the fact.&nbsp;
Also read |&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/months-after-rg-kar-horror-junior-doctor-raped-by-colleague-in-indias-madhya-pradesh-8598561" aria-label="Months after RG Kar horror, junior doctor raped by colleague in India's Madhya Pradesh">Months after RG Kar horror, junior doctor raped by colleague in India's Madhya Pradesh</a>
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

India News: During his address at the 21st Subroto Mukerjee Seminar, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said, "R&D loses its relevance if it is not able to meet the timeline. Time is a very important thing." 

Expressing his frustration against the slow-paced delivery of Tejas fighters by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Tuesday (Jan 7) that “technology delayed is technology denied”. Singh highlighted that the HAL is yet to deliver the first batch of 40 Tejas fighters, the process for which started in 2016. Also read | Why are Delhi elections scheduled for Wednesday? India CEC Rajiv Kumar explains During his address at the 21st Subroto Mukerjee Seminar, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, said, "R&D loses its relevance if it is not able to meet the timeline. Time is a very important thing. We need to give greater leeway to the researchers. There will be failures, let's not be scared of failures. I think we are losing a lot of time because we are scared of failure...Defence is one sector where time is very important. If we don't meet the timeline, technology is of no use. So we need to learn from our failures, move on, and not be scared of those failures...R&D funds are woefully short. We are just about at 5%, should be at 15% (of the defence budget). We have to make sure that these funds are increased and they are available to private players also." #WATCH | Delhi | During his address at the 21st Subroto Mukerjee Seminar, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh says, "...R&D loses its relevance if it is not able to meet the timeline. Time is a very important thing. We need to give greater leeway to the… pic.twitter.com/rgmAKNhVeG — ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2025 “Production agencies have to invest in their advanced manufacturing processes so that the speed can increase. Upskilling their manpower and whatever they do, the scale of the production has to go up. Tejas, we started inducting in 2016,” Singh further added in his speech. Also read | Indian govt approves site for former president Pranab Mukherjee's memorial Singh said that the first Tejas aircraft flew in 2001 and another induction started 15 years later in 2016. Now, when we have crossed 2024, Singh said he is yet to "have the first 40 aircraft". "This is the production capability. We need to do something. I am very convinced that we need to get some private players in. We need to have competition. We need to have multiple sources available so that people are wary of losing their orders. Otherwise, things will not change,” he said. Also read | Indian apex court denies custody of Atul Subhash's son to grandmother, says she is 'stranger' to child He expressed the concern that there has been an increase in the militarisation by China and Pakistan on the borders, and it's a major security concern for India. He further talked about China's advanced air force, saying that China is heavily investing in its air force. He said the recent unveiling of its new stealth aircraft is the fresh instant of the fact. Also read | Months after RG Kar horror, junior doctor raped by colleague in India's Madhya Pradesh (With inputs from agencies)

'Technology delayed is technology denied': Indian IAF chief on undelivered Tejas aircraft

An Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Agra on Monday (Nov 4) during a routine training sortie due to a "system malfunction", the IAF said.&nbsp;

During the incident, the pilot manoeuvred&nbsp;the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on the ground, before ejecting safely.&nbsp;

Further, the IAF issued an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash.&nbsp;

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A MiG-29 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Agra during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. The pilot manoeuvered the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on ground, before ejecting safely. 
 
An enquiry has been ordered by the IAF,…
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1853407777420353982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The fighter jet, piloted by Wing Commander Manish Mishra, was conducting a routine training flight when the malfunction occurred and the jet crashed in Sonika village, within the Kagraul police limits of Agra district, around 4:20 pm (IST).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iafs-remotely-piloted-aircraft-crashes-in-jaisalmer-probe-ordered-714901">Also read: IAF's remotely piloted aircraft crashes in Jaisalmer, probe ordered</a>

According to the defence officials, the plane was on its way to Agra when the incident happened.&nbsp;

Devesh Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sainya), Agra, said, "The pilot and co-pilot have been rescued and admitted to the district hospital", adding that he is at the site of the accident and a rescue operation is currently underway at the spot.

Meanwhile, Kagarol Station House Officer said, "There was a huge fire after the crash and we are trying to douse the fire."&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;IAF's Tejas aircraft crashes in Rajasthan, pilot safely ejects

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He added that the plane took off from Adampur in Punjab and was flying to Agra for participating&nbsp;in an exercise.&nbsp;

Earlier in September, a MiG-29 fighter aircraft had crashed near Rajasthan's Barmer.

The IAF stated that the crash happened because of a critical technical snag, forcing the pilot to eject. The pilot was safe and no loss of life or property was reported.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

An Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Agra on Monday (Nov 4) during a routine training sortie due to a "system malfunction", the IAF said. During the incident, the pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on the ground, before ejecting safely.

An Indian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Agra on Monday (Nov 4) during a routine training sortie due to a "system malfunction", the IAF said. During the incident, the pilot manoeuvred the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on the ground, before ejecting safely. Further, the IAF issued an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash. A MiG-29 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Agra during a routine training sortie today, after encountering a system malfunction. The pilot manoeuvered the aircraft to ensure no damage to life or property on ground, before ejecting safely. An enquiry has been ordered by the IAF,… — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) November 4, 2024 × The fighter jet, piloted by Wing Commander Manish Mishra, was conducting a routine training flight when the malfunction occurred and the jet crashed in Sonika village, within the Kagraul police limits of Agra district, around 4:20 pm (IST). Also read: IAF's remotely piloted aircraft crashes in Jaisalmer, probe ordered According to the defence officials, the plane was on its way to Agra when the incident happened. Devesh Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sainya), Agra, said, "The pilot and co-pilot have been rescued and admitted to the district hospital", adding that he is at the site of the accident and a rescue operation is currently underway at the spot. Meanwhile, Kagarol Station House Officer said, "There was a huge fire after the crash and we are trying to douse the fire." Watch | IAF's Tejas aircraft crashes in Rajasthan, pilot safely ejects × He added that the plane took off from Adampur in Punjab and was flying to Agra for participating in an exercise. Earlier in September, a MiG-29 fighter aircraft had crashed near Rajasthan's Barmer. The IAF stated that the crash happened because of a critical technical snag, forcing the pilot to eject. The pilot was safe and no loss of life or property was reported. (With inputs from agencies)

MiG-29 fighter jet crashes near Agra, pilot ejects to safety; probe ordered

The 92nd Raising Day of the Indian Air Force was celebrated for the first time at the Tambaram Air Force Station near Chennai. Watch for more details!

Indian Air Force celebrates 92nd Raising Day at Tambaram Air Force Station near Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has come out in&nbsp;defence of his government after five people died during the Indian Air Force's (IAF) mega air show at the Marina Beach in Chennai on Sunday (Oct 6).&nbsp;

Amid criticism from the opposition parties, Stalin said the state authorities had provided adequate facilities as requested by the IAF.

"Arrangements were made to conduct IAF Air Show in Chennai Marina. Facilities and administration assistance was provided as per IAF requirement and demand," said Stalin.&nbsp;

"Due to unexpected overcrowding, public suffered after the event in reaching their vehicles and accessing public transport. Next time, we would focus more and arrangements would be done when similar big events are planned,” he added.

Stalin also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh&nbsp;($6,000) from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the families of the victims.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Chennai Air Show Tragedy: Tamil Nadu Government Announces Compensation

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<h2>Opposition targets Stalin</h2>

Earlier on Monday, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai slammed the Stalin&nbsp;administration for negligence and compromising on the lives of the victims.&nbsp;

"I was shocked to hear that five people died due to crowding, and more than 200 people were injured and admitted to the hospital during the IAF air show. The only reason for this is that the DMK government did not take care of public safety, failing to provide basic facilities and adequate transport arrangements," Annamalai wrote in Tamil on X.

AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami condemned the DMK government for inadequate planning and poor crowd management.&nbsp;

“Administrative arrangements and crowds were not managed properly, and the police force was inadequate. The news is shocking that people were stuck in heavy traffic, with no drinking water available, and many were hospitalised due to heatstroke. Five people have died so far,” Palaniswami posted on X.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-least-3-spectators-die-over-200-faint-at-marina-beach-during-iaf-air-show-765010">Also read |&nbsp;India: 5 dead, 90 hospitalised as local authorities mess up Chennai IAF Air Show</a>

<h2>What happened in Chennai?</h2>

Despite knowing fully well that more than 1.5 million people were expected to turn up for the event, the Chennai City Police and Chennai Traffic Police did not make suitable arrangements to handle the heavy footfall.&nbsp;

Though the air show was held between 11 am to 1 pm, most people gathered at the venue at least an hour before.

Viral videos showed choked metro stations and Mass Rapid Transport System (under the Indian Railways) stations where people were struggling. The scorching heat and cramped surroundings led to over 200 fainting, with 93 admitted to nearby hospitals. However, five succumbed to death, unfortunately.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has come out in defence of his government after five people died during the Indian Air Force's (IAF) mega air show at the Marina Beach in Chennai on Sunday (Oct 6).

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has come out in defence of his government after five people died during the Indian Air Force's (IAF) mega air show at the Marina Beach in Chennai on Sunday (Oct 6). Amid criticism from the opposition parties, Stalin said the state authorities had provided adequate facilities as requested by the IAF. "Arrangements were made to conduct IAF Air Show in Chennai Marina. Facilities and administration assistance was provided as per IAF requirement and demand," said Stalin. "Due to unexpected overcrowding, public suffered after the event in reaching their vehicles and accessing public transport. Next time, we would focus more and arrangements would be done when similar big events are planned,” he added. Stalin also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh ($6,000) from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the families of the victims. Watch | Chennai Air Show Tragedy: Tamil Nadu Government Announces Compensation × Opposition targets Stalin Earlier on Monday, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai slammed the Stalin administration for negligence and compromising on the lives of the victims. "I was shocked to hear that five people died due to crowding, and more than 200 people were injured and admitted to the hospital during the IAF air show. The only reason for this is that the DMK government did not take care of public safety, failing to provide basic facilities and adequate transport arrangements," Annamalai wrote in Tamil on X. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami condemned the DMK government for inadequate planning and poor crowd management. “Administrative arrangements and crowds were not managed properly, and the police force was inadequate. The news is shocking that people were stuck in heavy traffic, with no drinking water available, and many were hospitalised due to heatstroke. Five people have died so far,” Palaniswami posted on X. Also read | India: 5 dead, 90 hospitalised as local authorities mess up Chennai IAF Air Show What happened in Chennai? Despite knowing fully well that more than 1.5 million people were expected to turn up for the event, the Chennai City Police and Chennai Traffic Police did not make suitable arrangements to handle the heavy footfall. Though the air show was held between 11 am to 1 pm, most people gathered at the venue at least an hour before. Viral videos showed choked metro stations and Mass Rapid Transport System (under the Indian Railways) stations where people were struggling. The scorching heat and cramped surroundings led to over 200 fainting, with 93 admitted to nearby hospitals. However, five succumbed to death, unfortunately. (With inputs from agencies)

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin defends government after opposition attacks over 5 deaths at IAF show

What was supposed to be a memorable and cherished Air&nbsp;Show experience for lakhs of people at Chennai's iconic Marina Beach turned out to be a disaster due to the lax approach and blatant negligence of authorities under the Tamil Nadu government and the Indian Railways. While the Indian Air Force conducted a flawless and thoroughly professional Air Show, the events that took place before and after the event are what led to uncontrollable chaos. At the time of writing, five people had lost their lives and more than 90 had been hospitalised.&nbsp;

Despite knowing fully well that more than 1.5 million people were expected to attend Sunday's (Oct 6) show on the scenic shores of the Marina Beach, the Chennai City Police and Chennai Traffic Police did not make suitable arrangements to handle such a footfall and their smooth entry, exit.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | A woman seen being evacuated from a huge rush at the Mega Air Show on Marina Beach ahead of the 92nd Indian Air Force Day. 
 
There are reports of attendees fainting, rushed to the hospital due to heavy crowd presence and heat. <a href="https://t.co/SgNEhuTnUH">pic.twitter.com/SgNEhuTnUH</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1842931694703349809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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4மணி நேரமாக சென்னை மெரினா கடற்கரையில் Airshow நடைபெறும் இடத்தில் வெளிவர முடியாமல் சிக்கி கொண்டு இருக்கும் அம்புலன்ஸ் பலர் கூட்ட நெரிசலில் சிக்கி மயக்கம் அடைகிறார்கள் 100 க்கு கால் செய்து 1 மணி நேரமாகியும் காவல் துறையினர் வரவில்லை <a href="https://twitter.com/chennaipolice_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chennaipolice_</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CMOTamilnadu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMOTamilnadu</a> <a href="https://t.co/xgiYuWFTwL">pic.twitter.com/xgiYuWFTwL</a>
— Joaquin Phoenix (@PhoenixAdmk) <a href="https://twitter.com/PhoenixAdmk/status/1842845152504627710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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While the city's Traffic Police had urged Air Show attendees to use public transport, the city's Metro rail network and Mass Rapid Transport System (under the Indian Railways) were not operating trains at required frequencies. Viral videos showed choked metro stations and MRTS stations where people were struggling.&nbsp;

The same applied to the city buses. This led to overcrowding and chaos even while people were on their way to the air show. Owing to such issues with public transport, people were forced to walk for several kilometres on a blazing hot day.&nbsp;

<h2>The arduous, fatal walk back from the Marina Beach</h2>

Total chaos unfolded after the two-hour Air Show, as thousands of people were pouring into the main road adjoining the Marina beach, with no crowd control measures in place by the local authorities. With most attendees having endured the blazing heat and humidity for more than three hours, they were all desperate to return to the nearest public transport hubs. Predominantly, the crowd comprised of families with school-going children.

However, government vehicles (predominantly belonging to IAS, and IPS officials) and other VIPs began to exit the Marina beach and crowd the arterial road, thereby blocking the path meant for lakhs of pedestrians, who had already borne the brunt of the intense heat. Commoners were forced to walk several kilometres in choc-a-bloc&nbsp;conditions while braving the searing heat and humidity. Completely exhausted and dehydrated, thousands of people sat along the roads and footpaths, unable to walk any further.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chennai-iaf-air-show-indian-airforces-mega-air-show-dazzles-chennai-skies-764956">Watch |&nbsp;Chennai IAF Air Show: Indian Airforce's Mega Air Show Dazzles Chennai Skies</a>

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Those that were able to walk further were caught up in multiple stampede-like situations. While there are hospitals in the vicinity, the traffic congestion meant that the dehydrated persons and those who had fainted could not get the&nbsp;much needed help.

As lakhs of people spent a few hours walking across a two-kilometre stretch of road, there were several ambulances caught up in the ensuing congestion. Many took refuge in nearby government buildings, waiting in the shade, for the roads to clear. However, it took more than three hours for this situation to improve. By then, lakhs of people were severely inconvenienced, as is evident from the outpouring of netizens' complaints against local authorities in Chennai.

What was supposed to be a memorable and cherished Air Show experience for lakhs of people at Chennai's iconic Marina Beach turned out to be a disaster due to the lax approach and blatant negligence of authorities under the Tamil Nadu government and the Indian Railways.

What was supposed to be a memorable and cherished Air Show experience for lakhs of people at Chennai's iconic Marina Beach turned out to be a disaster due to the lax approach and blatant negligence of authorities under the Tamil Nadu government and the Indian Railways. While the Indian Air Force conducted a flawless and thoroughly professional Air Show, the events that took place before and after the event are what led to uncontrollable chaos. At the time of writing, five people had lost their lives and more than 90 had been hospitalised. Despite knowing fully well that more than 1.5 million people were expected to attend Sunday's (Oct 6) show on the scenic shores of the Marina Beach, the Chennai City Police and Chennai Traffic Police did not make suitable arrangements to handle such a footfall and their smooth entry, exit. #WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | A woman seen being evacuated from a huge rush at the Mega Air Show on Marina Beach ahead of the 92nd Indian Air Force Day. There are reports of attendees fainting, rushed to the hospital due to heavy crowd presence and heat. pic.twitter.com/SgNEhuTnUH — ANI (@ANI) October 6, 2024 × 4மணி நேரமாக சென்னை மெரினா கடற்கரையில் Airshow நடைபெறும் இடத்தில் வெளிவர முடியாமல் சிக்கி கொண்டு இருக்கும் அம்புலன்ஸ் பலர் கூட்ட நெரிசலில் சிக்கி மயக்கம் அடைகிறார்கள் 100 க்கு கால் செய்து 1 மணி நேரமாகியும் காவல் துறையினர் வரவில்லை @chennaipolice_ @CMOTamilnadu pic.twitter.com/xgiYuWFTwL — Joaquin Phoenix (@PhoenixAdmk) October 6, 2024 × While the city's Traffic Police had urged Air Show attendees to use public transport, the city's Metro rail network and Mass Rapid Transport System (under the Indian Railways) were not operating trains at required frequencies. Viral videos showed choked metro stations and MRTS stations where people were struggling. The same applied to the city buses. This led to overcrowding and chaos even while people were on their way to the air show. Owing to such issues with public transport, people were forced to walk for several kilometres on a blazing hot day. The arduous, fatal walk back from the Marina Beach Total chaos unfolded after the two-hour Air Show, as thousands of people were pouring into the main road adjoining the Marina beach, with no crowd control measures in place by the local authorities. With most attendees having endured the blazing heat and humidity for more than three hours, they were all desperate to return to the nearest public transport hubs. Predominantly, the crowd comprised of families with school-going children. However, government vehicles (predominantly belonging to IAS, and IPS officials) and other VIPs began to exit the Marina beach and crowd the arterial road, thereby blocking the path meant for lakhs of pedestrians, who had already borne the brunt of the intense heat. Commoners were forced to walk several kilometres in choc-a-bloc conditions while braving the searing heat and humidity. Completely exhausted and dehydrated, thousands of people sat along the roads and footpaths, unable to walk any further. Watch | Chennai IAF Air Show: Indian Airforce's Mega Air Show Dazzles Chennai Skies × Those that were able to walk further were caught up in multiple stampede-like situations. While there are hospitals in the vicinity, the traffic congestion meant that the dehydrated persons and those who had fainted could not get the much needed help. As lakhs of people spent a few hours walking across a two-kilometre stretch of road, there were several ambulances caught up in the ensuing congestion. Many took refuge in nearby government buildings, waiting in the shade, for the roads to clear. However, it took more than three hours for this situation to improve. By then, lakhs of people were severely inconvenienced, as is evident from the outpouring of netizens' complaints against local authorities in Chennai.

India: 5 dead, 90 hospitalised as local authorities mess up Chennai IAF Air Show

Following three flawless rehearsals this week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to enthral the people of the city of&nbsp;Chennai on Sunday&nbsp;(Oct&nbsp;6) between 11:00 am-1:00 pm (local time), as part of a grand air show involving 72 aircraft.&nbsp;

The event is to take place at Chennai's iconic Marina Beach, where more than a million people are expected to gather. It is after a hiatus of two decades that an air shoe is returning to Chennai and the Indian Air Force has a stellar lineup for mesmerising those at the Marina.

Sunday's air show is part of the Indian Air Force's 92nd-year celebrations. Following the open-to-public air show on Sunday, a restricted-access IAF Day parade will be held on&nbsp;Tuesday (Oct 8), at Air Force Station Tambaram, on the outskirts of Chennai city.&nbsp;

Over the last two years, the Raising Day of India's tri-services have been held in different cities across the country.

This is aimed at showcasing the valour, might, and capabilities of the Indian armed forces, while also inspiring youngsters to take up a career in service of the nation. Notably, among the aviators that will be flying on Sunday are two Chennaiites.&nbsp;

<h2>A rare mix of Russian and Western aircraft</h2>

A total of 72 aircraft will be taking part in the air show and this will include fighter jets, transporter aircraft, helicopters, and special aerobatic display teams, vintage aircraft.&nbsp;

Notably, air shows by the Indian Air Force have the unique distinction of featuring both Western aircraft and Russian aircraft, which is extremely rare. Sunday's air show will feature the French-origin Rafales, Mirage-2000, Airbus-C295MW, the Russian Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mig-29 fighters, the IL-78 MD Refuelling tanker, the European SEPECAT Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft, the American C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifted, P-8I 'Poseidon' anti-submarine warfare aircraft, among others. The air shoe will also feature vintage planes such as the Dakota and Harward.

Interestingly, the Indian Air Force is the world's largest operator of the Russian-origin Sukhoi-30, of which the MKI version is the India-specific aircraft. With more than 260 in number, the Su-30MKI is regarded as the backbone of the Indian Air Force's fighter fleet.

The massive Su-30, also known as the 'Flanker' is the world's largest operational fighter aircraft. A fully loaded Sukhoi-30 weighs around 39 tons.&nbsp;

<h2>India's indigenous 'birds' to roar over Marina - Tejas and Prachand</h2>

Indigenously designed and developed Indian platform - Light combat aircraft Tejas, the lightest fighter jet in the world and the Prachand helicopter, the world's highest-flying combat helicopter are to showcase their mettle over the Marina Beach. These platforms indicate the progress that India's homegrown defence sector has made over the last several decades.

The Indian government has set an ambitious target of surpassing $5 billion&nbsp;in defence exports by 2025, from the present $2.63 billion. This ambition stems from the export potential that the Indian establishment sees in the homegrown defence ecosystem.&nbsp;

<h2>Brand ambassadors of the IAF - Sarang and Suryakiran</h2>

While most aircraft performing at the airshow would be of the standard metallic grey colour, there will also be unique aircraft that are painted in vibrant shades of red.

These are the brand ambassadors of the IAF – The Suryakiran (Rays of the Sun), Aerobatic Team flying the BAE Hawk Mk132 jets and the Sarang (Peacock) Helicopter Display Team flying the Dhruv Helicopters, both of which have enthralled crowds at international air shows on foreign soil.

The Suryakiran team comprises nine aircraft, while the Sarang team comprises five helicopters. From formation flying to daring aerobatic manoeuvres and risky high-proximity stunts, they'll do it all, while painting the sky in vibrant hues.&nbsp;

<h2>Flying Formations - A tribute all things Tamil Nadu&nbsp;</h2>

As different types of aircraft fly over the Marina beach, their formations will carry a significant touch of Tamil Nadu. Each of the formations has been named after unique facets of the history, culture, legacy, and geography of the state. The formations are called: Puyal (storm), Sangam, Pallava, Chera, Chola, Kanchi, Natraj, Nilgiri, Marina, Pandian, Mahabali etc.

Following three flawless rehearsals this week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to enthral the people of the city of Chennai on Sunday (Oct 6) between 11:00 am-1:00 pm (local time), as part of a grand air show involving 72 aircraft.

Following three flawless rehearsals this week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is all set to enthral the people of the city of Chennai on Sunday (Oct 6) between 11:00 am-1:00 pm (local time), as part of a grand air show involving 72 aircraft. The event is to take place at Chennai's iconic Marina Beach, where more than a million people are expected to gather. It is after a hiatus of two decades that an air shoe is returning to Chennai and the Indian Air Force has a stellar lineup for mesmerising those at the Marina. Sunday's air show is part of the Indian Air Force's 92nd-year celebrations. Following the open-to-public air show on Sunday, a restricted-access IAF Day parade will be held on Tuesday (Oct 8), at Air Force Station Tambaram, on the outskirts of Chennai city. Over the last two years, the Raising Day of India's tri-services have been held in different cities across the country. This is aimed at showcasing the valour, might, and capabilities of the Indian armed forces, while also inspiring youngsters to take up a career in service of the nation. Notably, among the aviators that will be flying on Sunday are two Chennaiites. A rare mix of Russian and Western aircraft A total of 72 aircraft will be taking part in the air show and this will include fighter jets, transporter aircraft, helicopters, and special aerobatic display teams, vintage aircraft. Notably, air shows by the Indian Air Force have the unique distinction of featuring both Western aircraft and Russian aircraft, which is extremely rare. Sunday's air show will feature the French-origin Rafales, Mirage-2000, Airbus-C295MW, the Russian Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mig-29 fighters, the IL-78 MD Refuelling tanker, the European SEPECAT Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft, the American C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifted, P-8I 'Poseidon' anti-submarine warfare aircraft, among others. The air shoe will also feature vintage planes such as the Dakota and Harward. Interestingly, the Indian Air Force is the world's largest operator of the Russian-origin Sukhoi-30, of which the MKI version is the India-specific aircraft. With more than 260 in number, the Su-30MKI is regarded as the backbone of the Indian Air Force's fighter fleet. The massive Su-30, also known as the 'Flanker' is the world's largest operational fighter aircraft. A fully loaded Sukhoi-30 weighs around 39 tons. India's indigenous 'birds' to roar over Marina - Tejas and Prachand Indigenously designed and developed Indian platform - Light combat aircraft Tejas, the lightest fighter jet in the world and the Prachand helicopter, the world's highest-flying combat helicopter are to showcase their mettle over the Marina Beach. These platforms indicate the progress that India's homegrown defence sector has made over the last several decades. The Indian government has set an ambitious target of surpassing $5 billion in defence exports by 2025, from the present $2.63 billion. This ambition stems from the export potential that the Indian establishment sees in the homegrown defence ecosystem. Brand ambassadors of the IAF - Sarang and Suryakiran While most aircraft performing at the airshow would be of the standard metallic grey colour, there will also be unique aircraft that are painted in vibrant shades of red. These are the brand ambassadors of the IAF – The Suryakiran (Rays of the Sun), Aerobatic Team flying the BAE Hawk Mk132 jets and the Sarang (Peacock) Helicopter Display Team flying the Dhruv Helicopters, both of which have enthralled crowds at international air shows on foreign soil. The Suryakiran team comprises nine aircraft, while the Sarang team comprises five helicopters. From formation flying to daring aerobatic manoeuvres and risky high-proximity stunts, they'll do it all, while painting the sky in vibrant hues. Flying Formations - A tribute all things Tamil Nadu As different types of aircraft fly over the Marina beach, their formations will carry a significant touch of Tamil Nadu. Each of the formations has been named after unique facets of the history, culture, legacy, and geography of the state. The formations are called: Puyal (storm), Sangam, Pallava, Chera, Chola, Kanchi, Natraj, Nilgiri, Marina, Pandian, Mahabali etc.

Indian Air Force all set for grand airshow at Chennai's Marina Beach

Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a complaint against a Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force after a woman flying officer accused him of rape, mental harassment,&nbsp;and stalking.&nbsp; The incident allegedly happened during the New Year’s Eve party last year, and the FIR was registered&nbsp;against the Wing Commander at the Budgam police station over the weekend under Section 376(2) of the Indian Penal Code, which was in force at the time of the alleged incident on January 1, 2024. The section deals with rape committed by a member of the armed forces deployed in an area by the Central or State Government.

The woman officer also claimed that she was subjected to mental torture over the last two years by the authorities at the Air Force Station, Srinagar.

The IAF said in a statement that the Budgam Police Station approached the concerned Air Force station for investigation, and the IAF is cooperating in the investigation.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly ordered an inquiry into the allegations.&nbsp;

<h2>Woman officer’s complaint</h2>

The woman officer complained that she was forced to perform a sexual act on the accused Wing Commander during the party held at the Officers’ Mess at the Srinagar air force station.

She said the sexual harassment occurred at around 2 am on January 1 after the Wing Commander asked her to ‘collect the New Year’s gift’.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjduKW9zbiIAxXlUGwGHcRTOZMQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/probe-ordered-after-iaf-jet-inadvertently-releases-air-store-near-pokhran-752066" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/probe-ordered-after-iaf-jet-inadvertently-releases-air-store-near-pokhran-752066&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjduKW9zbiIAxXlUGwGHcRTOZMQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran</a>

“I went into a mental shock being new to the atmosphere in the forces. I was embarrassed and… broken to that extent … lacking courage to report. I can’t describe the mental agony, being an unmarried girl… treated in such a heinous manner… the incident and nightmares put me in the dilemma of whether to discuss or be quiet, finally I took a call and decided to fight,” the woman officer said in her complaint.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjduKW9zbiIAxXlUGwGHcRTOZMQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-indian-navy-might-end-up-paying-twice-the-amount-iaf-had-paid-for-the-fighter-jets-claims-report-727329" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-indian-navy-might-end-up-paying-twice-the-amount-iaf-had-paid-for-the-fighter-jets-claims-report-727329&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjduKW9zbiIAxXlUGwGHcRTOZMQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Rafale: Indian Navy might end up paying twice the amount IAF had paid for the fighter jets, claims report</a>

“It took two months for Station to assemble an Internal Committee (IC)… on April 2, 2024, Internal Committee assembled. The bias of Station authorities to aid the sexual offender was very heartbreaking for me… Medical examination was not done till the time I insisted multiple times. It was done on the last day of the investigation by the Internal Committee,” she added.

She added that she was forced to approach the police station after her pleas were ignored by IAF authorities.

In response to an email sent to the Public Relations Officer of the IAF in New Delhi,&nbsp;Wing Commander Jaideep Singh 
wrote to WION that the air force is "completely cooperating towards the case".

"We are aware of the case. Local police had approached on the subject. We are completely cooperating towards the case," the PRO wrote, without providing any more details.

(With inputs from agencies)

Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a complaint against a Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force after a woman flying officer accused him of rape, mental harassment, and stalking.

Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a complaint against a Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force after a woman flying officer accused him of rape, mental harassment, and stalking. The incident allegedly happened during the New Year’s Eve party last year, and the FIR was registered against the Wing Commander at the Budgam police station over the weekend under Section 376(2) of the Indian Penal Code, which was in force at the time of the alleged incident on January 1, 2024. The section deals with rape committed by a member of the armed forces deployed in an area by the Central or State Government. The woman officer also claimed that she was subjected to mental torture over the last two years by the authorities at the Air Force Station, Srinagar. The IAF said in a statement that the Budgam Police Station approached the concerned Air Force station for investigation, and the IAF is cooperating in the investigation. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has reportedly ordered an inquiry into the allegations. Woman officer’s complaint The woman officer complained that she was forced to perform a sexual act on the accused Wing Commander during the party held at the Officers’ Mess at the Srinagar air force station. She said the sexual harassment occurred at around 2 am on January 1 after the Wing Commander asked her to ‘collect the New Year’s gift’. Also read: Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran “I went into a mental shock being new to the atmosphere in the forces. I was embarrassed and… broken to that extent … lacking courage to report. I can’t describe the mental agony, being an unmarried girl… treated in such a heinous manner… the incident and nightmares put me in the dilemma of whether to discuss or be quiet, finally I took a call and decided to fight,” the woman officer said in her complaint. Also read: Rafale: Indian Navy might end up paying twice the amount IAF had paid for the fighter jets, claims report “It took two months for Station to assemble an Internal Committee (IC)… on April 2, 2024, Internal Committee assembled. The bias of Station authorities to aid the sexual offender was very heartbreaking for me… Medical examination was not done till the time I insisted multiple times. It was done on the last day of the investigation by the Internal Committee,” she added. She added that she was forced to approach the police station after her pleas were ignored by IAF authorities. In response to an email sent to the Public Relations Officer of the IAF in New Delhi, Wing Commander Jaideep Singh wrote to WION that the air force is "completely cooperating towards the case". "We are aware of the case. Local police had approached on the subject. We are completely cooperating towards the case," the PRO wrote, without providing any more details. (With inputs from agencies)

IAF Wing Commander booked after woman flying officer accuses him of ‘rape, stalking’

The second phase of the inaugural Exercise Tarang Shakti is in its final leg. This is the first international aerial war games organized by the Indian Air Force since 1963.

IAF’s Tarang Shakti Phase II: curtains come down today

With sights firmly set on the Indian Air Force's requirement for 40-80 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA), Tata-Lockheed Martin is expanding their existing collaboration in India. The Indo-American venture has entered into an agreement to establish a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in&nbsp;India&nbsp;to support the Indian Air Force's (IAF) existing C130J fleet comprising 12 aircraft, as well as other global Super Hercules fleets. The C-130 is a versatile tactical airlifter that has been in operation for more than 70 years, fulfilling the roles of transportation of troops, supplies, equipment, and special operations, under challenging scenarios.&nbsp;

Presently, all C130Js are built at the Super Hercules production facility in&nbsp;Marietta,&nbsp;Georgia, USA. Since 2010, the Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd., (TLMAL) joint venture in Hyderabad, Southern India, has been building the tail structures of the C-130Js and is the only global source for this component. To date, TLMAL has manufactured more than 220 C-130J empennages. Further, Tata and Lockheed are looking to carry out&nbsp;manufacturing and assembly of C130Js in&nbsp;India, to produce aircraft for the IAF's Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program, subject to approvals from the US and Indian governments. Lockheed Martin will establish additional production and assembly capacity in&nbsp;India&nbsp;if awarded the MTA contract, the firm said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjQ0pOM0biIAxVZ1jgGHamFDuAQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/probe-ordered-after-iaf-jet-inadvertently-releases-air-store-near-pokhran-752066" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/probe-ordered-after-iaf-jet-inadvertently-releases-air-store-near-pokhran-752066&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjQ0pOM0biIAxVZ1jgGHamFDuAQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran</a>

"Collaborating with Lockheed Martin on the C-130J platform proposition for IAF's MTA project is a milestone for Tata Advanced Systems," said Sukaran Singh, CEO &amp; MD of Tata Advanced Systems. "The current announcement is also significant as it marks the entry of Tata Advanced Systems into the defence MRO space in&nbsp;India&nbsp;for large aircraft platforms," he added.&nbsp;

Since 2011, the Indian Air Force has been operating the C-130J aircraft, and has carried out landings at the world's highest airfield, Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), in Ladakh's Depsang Valley, daring night operations in inclement weather. The global C-130J fleet spans 27 operators in 23 nations. These aircraft are used for search and rescue, peacekeeping, combat delivery, maritime patrol, special operations, aerial refueling, commercial cargo transport, medevac and humanitarian response missions.&nbsp;

<h2>Indian Air Force's Requirement for Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA)</h2>

According to the Indian Air Force's Request for Information (RFI), they are looking at an aircraft with 18-27 tons load carrying capacity.&nbsp;The three potential contenders in this contest are the Lockheed Martin C-130J, Embraer C-390 and Airbus A400M. However, each of these aircraft offers different lift capabilities. While the C-130J and A400M are powered by turboprop engines, the C-390 uses jet engines.

In 2023, the IAF began inducting the Airbus C-295MW planes, gradually replacing its fleet of HS-748 Avro aircraft. IAF had placed orders for 56 planes from Airbus, of which, the first 16 are to be fully made abroad. Whereas, the remaining 40 would be made by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), in Gujarat. While it is common for a force to maintain more aircraft of a similar make, the C-295, with its lifting capacity of 9 tonnes does not qualify for the Medium Transport Aircraft requirement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjQ0pOM0biIAxVZ1jgGHamFDuAQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-indian-navy-might-end-up-paying-twice-the-amount-iaf-had-paid-for-the-fighter-jets-claims-report-727329" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-indian-navy-might-end-up-paying-twice-the-amount-iaf-had-paid-for-the-fighter-jets-claims-report-727329&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjQ0pOM0biIAxVZ1jgGHamFDuAQxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE">Rafale: Indian Navy might end up paying twice the amount IAF had paid for the fighter jets, claims report</a>

Notably, in recent decades, India has been purchasing a significant number of American Aviation platforms, including Lockheed Martin C-130J planes and MH-60R helicopters, Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter, Apache attack helicopters, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, and Poseidon-8I long-range maritime surveillance planes. However, India has never purchased American fighter jets. India's fighter fleet comprises Russian-origin and European-origin jets.&nbsp;

With sights firmly set on the Indian Air Force's requirement for 40-80 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA), Tata-Lockheed Martin is expanding their existing collaboration in India.

With sights firmly set on the Indian Air Force's requirement for 40-80 Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA), Tata-Lockheed Martin is expanding their existing collaboration in India. The Indo-American venture has entered into an agreement to establish a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India to support the Indian Air Force's (IAF) existing C130J fleet comprising 12 aircraft, as well as other global Super Hercules fleets. The C-130 is a versatile tactical airlifter that has been in operation for more than 70 years, fulfilling the roles of transportation of troops, supplies, equipment, and special operations, under challenging scenarios. Presently, all C130Js are built at the Super Hercules production facility in Marietta, Georgia, USA. Since 2010, the Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd., (TLMAL) joint venture in Hyderabad, Southern India, has been building the tail structures of the C-130Js and is the only global source for this component. To date, TLMAL has manufactured more than 220 C-130J empennages. Further, Tata and Lockheed are looking to carry out manufacturing and assembly of C130Js in India, to produce aircraft for the IAF's Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program, subject to approvals from the US and Indian governments. Lockheed Martin will establish additional production and assembly capacity in India if awarded the MTA contract, the firm said. Also read: Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran "Collaborating with Lockheed Martin on the C-130J platform proposition for IAF's MTA project is a milestone for Tata Advanced Systems," said Sukaran Singh, CEO & MD of Tata Advanced Systems. "The current announcement is also significant as it marks the entry of Tata Advanced Systems into the defence MRO space in India for large aircraft platforms," he added. Since 2011, the Indian Air Force has been operating the C-130J aircraft, and has carried out landings at the world's highest airfield, Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), in Ladakh's Depsang Valley, daring night operations in inclement weather. The global C-130J fleet spans 27 operators in 23 nations. These aircraft are used for search and rescue, peacekeeping, combat delivery, maritime patrol, special operations, aerial refueling, commercial cargo transport, medevac and humanitarian response missions. Indian Air Force's Requirement for Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) According to the Indian Air Force's Request for Information (RFI), they are looking at an aircraft with 18-27 tons load carrying capacity. The three potential contenders in this contest are the Lockheed Martin C-130J, Embraer C-390 and Airbus A400M. However, each of these aircraft offers different lift capabilities. While the C-130J and A400M are powered by turboprop engines, the C-390 uses jet engines. In 2023, the IAF began inducting the Airbus C-295MW planes, gradually replacing its fleet of HS-748 Avro aircraft. IAF had placed orders for 56 planes from Airbus, of which, the first 16 are to be fully made abroad. Whereas, the remaining 40 would be made by Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), in Gujarat. While it is common for a force to maintain more aircraft of a similar make, the C-295, with its lifting capacity of 9 tonnes does not qualify for the Medium Transport Aircraft requirement. Also read: Rafale: Indian Navy might end up paying twice the amount IAF had paid for the fighter jets, claims report Notably, in recent decades, India has been purchasing a significant number of American Aviation platforms, including Lockheed Martin C-130J planes and MH-60R helicopters, Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter, Apache attack helicopters, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, and Poseidon-8I long-range maritime surveillance planes. However, India has never purchased American fighter jets. India's fighter fleet comprises Russian-origin and European-origin jets.

Eyeing aircraft deal for IAF, Tata-Lockheed to expand India operations

In a shocking turn of events, a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Indian Army suffered a ‘technical malfunction’ on Friday (Aug 23) and drifted into Pakistani airspace. The Indian Army in a statement said that the UAV was on a training mission when it&nbsp;entered Pakistan’s Nikial Sector and was later recovered by Pakistani troops.

“At 9.25 am, a Mini UAV on a training mission well within the Indian Territory lost control due to a technical malfunction and drifted into the Nikial Sector of Pakistan opposite our Bhimber Gali Sector,” the Indian Army said.

The Indian side has now asked&nbsp;Pakistan Army to return the UAV, the statement added.

“A hotline message has been sent to the Pakistan Army to return the said UAV,” said the Indian Army.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjRg87MzYuIAxX14zgGHSf_CI8QxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/probe-ordered-after-iaf-jet-inadvertently-releases-air-store-near-pokhran-752066" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/probe-ordered-after-iaf-jet-inadvertently-releases-air-store-near-pokhran-752066&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjRg87MzYuIAxX14zgGHSf_CI8QxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran</a>

The incident comes two days after an Indian Air Force (IAF) jet accidentally released an "air store" near the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, following a technical malfunction.

The air store was essentially a practice bomb designed to be used in drills to target designated enemies. A probe has been ordered into the incident that happened on August 21.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjRg87MzYuIAxX14zgGHSf_CI8QxfQBKAB6BAgREAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indian-air-force-chief-recalls-2021-kabul-airlift-says-india-first-responder-to-any-global-crisis-706493" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indian-air-force-chief-recalls-2021-kabul-airlift-says-india-first-responder-to-any-global-crisis-706493&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjRg87MzYuIAxX14zgGHSf_CI8QxfQBKAB6BAgREAE">Exclusive: Indian Air Force chief recalls 2021 Kabul airlift, says India first responder to any global crisis</a>

The Friday incident reminded Indians, as well as Pakistanis, of the March 2022 incident when&nbsp;India accidentally fired a BrahMos missile into Pakistan, with human error causing the unprecedented incident. The Indian Air Force blamed the incident on a technical malfunction during routine maintenance.

In an explanation to the Delhi High Court, the IAF later said that combat connectors of the Brahmos missile "remained connected to the junction box" which led to accidental firing in Pakistan.&nbsp;

The Air Force added that the incident caused a loss of&nbsp;₹25 crore ($2.9 mn)&nbsp;to the government exchequer. The IAF also told the court that the incident had the "effect of affecting the relations" between India and Pakistan.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a shocking turn of events, a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Indian Army suffered a ‘technical malfunction’ on Friday (Aug 23) and drifted into Pakistani airspace.

In a shocking turn of events, a mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Indian Army suffered a ‘technical malfunction’ on Friday (Aug 23) and drifted into Pakistani airspace. The Indian Army in a statement said that the UAV was on a training mission when it entered Pakistan’s Nikial Sector and was later recovered by Pakistani troops. “At 9.25 am, a Mini UAV on a training mission well within the Indian Territory lost control due to a technical malfunction and drifted into the Nikial Sector of Pakistan opposite our Bhimber Gali Sector,” the Indian Army said. The Indian side has now asked Pakistan Army to return the UAV, the statement added. “A hotline message has been sent to the Pakistan Army to return the said UAV,” said the Indian Army. Also read: Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran The incident comes two days after an Indian Air Force (IAF) jet accidentally released an "air store" near the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, following a technical malfunction. The air store was essentially a practice bomb designed to be used in drills to target designated enemies. A probe has been ordered into the incident that happened on August 21. Also read: Exclusive: Indian Air Force chief recalls 2021 Kabul airlift, says India first responder to any global crisis The Friday incident reminded Indians, as well as Pakistanis, of the March 2022 incident when India accidentally fired a BrahMos missile into Pakistan, with human error causing the unprecedented incident. The Indian Air Force blamed the incident on a technical malfunction during routine maintenance. In an explanation to the Delhi High Court, the IAF later said that combat connectors of the Brahmos missile "remained connected to the junction box" which led to accidental firing in Pakistan. The Air Force added that the incident caused a loss of ₹25 crore ($2.9 mn) to the government exchequer. The IAF also told the court that the incident had the "effect of affecting the relations" between India and Pakistan. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan recovers Indian Army’s drone that crossed LoC after ‘technical malfunction’

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday said one of its combat jets inadvertently released an "air store" near the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan following a technical glitch. There was no damage to life or property.

It said an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident. "An inadvertent release of an air store from an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft took place near Pokhran firing range area, due to technical malfunction, today," the IAF said on X.

The incident occurred in an isolated area, authorities said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiuo9a10oaIAxUcS2cHHX7FFvQQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indian-air-force-chief-recalls-2021-kabul-airlift-says-india-first-responder-to-any-global-crisis-706493" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/exclusive-indian-air-force-chief-recalls-2021-kabul-airlift-says-india-first-responder-to-any-global-crisis-706493&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiuo9a10oaIAxUcS2cHHX7FFvQQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Exclusive: Indian Air Force chief recalls 2021 Kabul airlift, says India first responder to any global crisis</a>

"An enquiry by the IAF has been ordered to investigate into the incident. No damage to life or property has been reported," the IAF said. The nature of the 'air store' released by the aircraft is not immediately known. In military parlance, anything attached to an aircraft or part of it, including munition,&nbsp;is called an 'air store'.

Bombs, missiles, munitions and even fuel tanks are also referred to as 'air store'. Sub-Inspector of Ramdevra police station, Shankar Lal, said some people heard a loud bang about a kilometre away from the village, following which they rushed to the spot and found pieces of an object lying around.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday said one of its combat jets inadvertently released an "air store" near the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan following a technical glitch.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday said one of its combat jets inadvertently released an "air store" near the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan following a technical glitch. There was no damage to life or property. It said an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident. "An inadvertent release of an air store from an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft took place near Pokhran firing range area, due to technical malfunction, today," the IAF said on X. The incident occurred in an isolated area, authorities said. Also read: Exclusive: Indian Air Force chief recalls 2021 Kabul airlift, says India first responder to any global crisis "An enquiry by the IAF has been ordered to investigate into the incident. No damage to life or property has been reported," the IAF said. The nature of the 'air store' released by the aircraft is not immediately known. In military parlance, anything attached to an aircraft or part of it, including munition, is called an 'air store'. Bombs, missiles, munitions and even fuel tanks are also referred to as 'air store'. Sub-Inspector of Ramdevra police station, Shankar Lal, said some people heard a loud bang about a kilometre away from the village, following which they rushed to the spot and found pieces of an object lying around. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Probe ordered after IAF jet ‘inadvertently’ releases ‘air store’ near Pokhran

‘Tarang Shakti 2024’, an international air exercise, began at the Sulur Air Base in Coimbatore district on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. Indian air assets and fighter jets including Su-30MKI, Tejas, Rafale, Mirage, and MiG-29K will take part in the exercise that will go on till August 13.

India’s multi-national air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti 2024’ begins in Coimbatore

'Tarang Shakti 2024’, an international air exercise, began at the Sulur Air Base in Coimbatore district on August 6 (Tuesday).

Diplomats in Flight Suits: India’s first multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti kicks off in Tamil Nadu

IAF begins its first-ever multi-national air exercise 'Tarang Shakti' in Tamil Nadu

Heavy rains caused significant route damage in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, leading to major rescue efforts. Watch to know more.

Uttarakhand: Indian Air Force joins rescue operations

Fourteen people have died and 10 injured in heavy overnight rains which have swelled rivers and caused flooding in uttarakhand. Indian air force has begun the rescue operations. The kedarnath yatra has been suspended amid the inclement weather conditions as the heavy downpour triggered landslides at many places.

Uttarakhand: Indian air force begins rescue operations in Kedarnath

A firefighting operation aided by an Indian Air Force helicopter is going on for the second day in India's Uttarakhand.The state recorded eight new forest fires within the last day.

Uttarakhand: Fires raging in India's Nainital, spreads through forests

The Indian Air Force has successfully tested the Crystal Maze 2 air-launched ballistic missile in the Andamans. This is a major boost to India's defence and attacking capabilities.

Gravitas: India successfully test fires ballistic missile in Andaman

The Indian Air Force tested the ROCKS missile, capable of striking targets over 250 kilometres&nbsp;away, marking a major capability enhancement.

Conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the successful test showed the air-launched ballistic missile's potential, originating from Israel as the Crystal Maze 2.

According to senior sources in the national security establishment speaking to ANI, a Su-30 MKI fighter jet successfully test-fired the missile last week at a testing site within the Andaman Islands' territory.

Preparations for the test were conducted within the jurisdiction of the tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Command, currently overseen by an Air Force officer.

The Indian Air Force intends to procure Israeli missiles on a large scale through the Make in India initiative due to its unique capabilities.

Launched from a Su-30 fighter, the missile ascends before swiftly homing in on its target. The Crystal Maze 2 differs significantly from its predecessor, Crystal Maze 1, previously inducted into the Indian Air Force from Israel.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/one-nation-one-airspace-indias-mission-ishan-to-benefit-airlines-and-passengers-both-714250">Also read |&nbsp;‘One nation, one airspace’: India’s project ISHAN to streamline air traffic, benefit airlines and passengers</a>

<h2>What is Crystal Maze 2?</h2>

Crystal Maze 2, an extended stand-off range air-to-surface missile, is earmarked for targeting high-value stationary and relocatable objectives such as long-range radars and enemy air defence systems.

Its effectiveness in GPS-denied environments, reminiscent of India's challenges during the Kargil War, is highlighted.&nbsp;It's effective even against targets protected by air defence systems.

Also watch |&nbsp;Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Expectations of the first-time voters

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/lok-sabha-elections-2024-expectations-of-the-first-time-voters-714310/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The successful test firing is a big step for India's defence. By making Crystal Maze 2 missiles in India, they're moving towards self-reliance and modernising their defence, reducing dependence on imports.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian Air Force tested the ROCKS missile, capable of striking targets over 250 kilometres away, marking a major capability enhancement. Conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the successful test showed the air-launched ballistic missile's potential, originating from Israel as the Crystal Maze 2.

The Indian Air Force tested the ROCKS missile, capable of striking targets over 250 kilometres away, marking a major capability enhancement. Conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the successful test showed the air-launched ballistic missile's potential, originating from Israel as the Crystal Maze 2. According to senior sources in the national security establishment speaking to ANI, a Su-30 MKI fighter jet successfully test-fired the missile last week at a testing site within the Andaman Islands' territory. Preparations for the test were conducted within the jurisdiction of the tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Command, currently overseen by an Air Force officer. The Indian Air Force intends to procure Israeli missiles on a large scale through the Make in India initiative due to its unique capabilities. Launched from a Su-30 fighter, the missile ascends before swiftly homing in on its target. The Crystal Maze 2 differs significantly from its predecessor, Crystal Maze 1, previously inducted into the Indian Air Force from Israel. Also read | ‘One nation, one airspace’: India’s project ISHAN to streamline air traffic, benefit airlines and passengers What is Crystal Maze 2? Crystal Maze 2, an extended stand-off range air-to-surface missile, is earmarked for targeting high-value stationary and relocatable objectives such as long-range radars and enemy air defence systems. Its effectiveness in GPS-denied environments, reminiscent of India's challenges during the Kargil War, is highlighted. It's effective even against targets protected by air defence systems. Also watch | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Expectations of the first-time voters The successful test firing is a big step for India's defence. By making Crystal Maze 2 missiles in India, they're moving towards self-reliance and modernising their defence, reducing dependence on imports. (With inputs from agencies)

India successfully tests Crystal Maze-2 missile capable of striking targets up to 250 kilometres away

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, Chief of the Indian Air Force, talks to WION about the Indo-Pacific region, the situation at the northern and western borders, ties with Russia, Make in India, humanitarian challenges, and more.

Indian Air Force Chief VR Chaudhari speaks to WION on Indo Pacific, Make in India & ties with Russia

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari has said that the Indian Air Force is "keeping a close watch" on the developments in the Indo Pacific and "collaborating with our friendly air forces to carry out the exercises quite regularly". Indo Pacific, a region that is seen a driver of global growth has seen concerns over aggressive actions by China.&nbsp;

Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal at Air Force station Adampur, Punjab, he assured that the Air Force is "ready to take on any situation", when it comes to challenges emerging at Northern Borders.

The Air Chief also detailed the role of Indian Air Force in humanitarian operations undertaken by it, from Afghanistan to South Sudan. Speaking about the Kabul operation, undertaken after fall of Afghanistan to Taliban, he said, "We had to launch an aircraft which could take the role of an airborne air traffic control. There was no ground control. We had to land our special forces first which had to secure the area around the aircraft."

The Air chief also took a sortie at the Air Force station Adampur, Punjab in a Su-30 MKI.

WION: The significance of sortie which you were part of?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Essentially it's a good idea, every time coming to the field level to see the level of training, the kind of exercises that are undertaken by the pilots, a large formation exercise that we undertook today, so it gave me first-hand experience of the kind of tactics, training and everything else that goes with it. So it's a good idea to get first-hand experience about what’s happening at the field level.

WION: On the role&nbsp;of Indian Air Force in humanitarian exercises, how risky are these operations?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: IAF have always been the first respondents to any crisis across the globe, particularly in the vicinity. In the past many years, we have developed our skill level and training level to execute such missions with confidence. The evacuation of our diaspora from south Sudan, even from Kabul back in 2021, the&nbsp;missions were fraught with a lot of uncertainties and danger. But our trained crew and commando&nbsp;forces which went along with these aircrafts ensured these missions were executed flawlessly. It required a lot of teamwork, preparation, training, and this is precisely what we go through on our daily basis in Air Force. We are always preparing for such conditions that may arise anywhere across the globe. Recently, along with Indian Navy we carried out an operation of dropping speed boats from C-17 aircraft, 2500 km from our coastline along with Indian Navy. So, the kind of roles and missions we’re expected to do can be very... but with a lot of confidence we’re capable of pulling out any operation that comes our way.

WION: How dangerous was the Kabul operation that happened in 2021?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: It was a time when there was no air traffic control over Kabul. The entire airspace was uncontrolled airspace. We had to launch an aircraft which could take the role of an airborne air traffic control. There was no ground control. We had to land our special forces first which had to secure the area around the aircraft. We managed to put in as many Indian nationals as we could in each of these planes and one of the interesting sorties was when we took off in absolute pitch darkness using night vision goggles in an uncontrolled airspace. This is the pinnacle of transport operations.

WION: On planning to increase the zones ? Expansion of Indian Airforce capability in terms of humanitarian disasters reaching out at that time?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: The reach provided by the strategic airlift and even the aircraft like C-130 allows us to respond to any situation like this probably anywhere across the globe. So it is only the requirements that may arise anytime, providing supplies during any humanitarian situation, or whether it is rescuing or evacuating our diaspora from anywhere across the globe. I think we have the capability and the training to carry out such missions

WION: How do you see the situation in the Indo Pacific? There are increased signs of worry.

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: The centre of gravity, like I said, is now the Indo Pacific region for all the militaries to keep our focus on and we are keeping a close watch on all the developments there. We have been collaborating with our friendly air forces to carry out the exercises quite regularly and interacting with them we are quite clear of how they are going to tackle the situation and anything that may arise in that region. And we are also fully prepared to join hands with them.

WION: How do you assess the current situation when it comes to India's northern border. So how is the Indian Air Force prepared to deal with that as well?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: We are always prepared, we will remain prepared. We will handle any situation that may arise based on the circumstances that come up at that time. But let me assure you that we are always ready to take on any situation

WION: Any lessons from the situation that emerged in last two or three years?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Our initial issue was with sustaining and maintaining our forces in high altitudes in the eastern Ladakh in particular, because you're aware that the Air Force was never equipped or trained to operate for sustained periods. So the first challenge was to deploy our units and thereafter now, keep them going there for such a long period. So with good help from an administrative support from the Indian Army and the ITBP, I think we are now quite settled in those high altitude regions.

WION: Western border- How much is the worry there and how are we geared to deal with any crisis?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think it's suffice to say that we are always prepared. Whenever any new development takes place, we will redeploy as required. We will relook at our deployment policies and the way we conduct our operations. We will always respond to any situation.

WION: How has the engagement been with the Russians as&nbsp;we have number of Russian assets as well. Has the Russia-Ukraine conflict&nbsp;increased concerns over the repair?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: We have a large inventory of Russian equipment, hardware, weapons and so on and to a large extent yes, we are still dependent on supply of spares from this country. Over the years, have indigenised components and spares when it comes to the aircraft fleet for example, the Sukhoi 30 itself is being manufactured under license by Hindustan Aeronautics, the engines are being manufactured under license. So the reliability on a whole lot of components has definitely reduced over the years.

WION: &nbsp;So the conflict hasn't had much impact on the Indian Air Force's capabilities is it correct to say?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Not really a major impact. Of course, there are certain some critical components for which we are still dependent on them. But it is not a situation that I will be alarmed about.

WION: Any lessons from the conflict that has happened in Europe?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Very much. If we start at&nbsp;the strategic level, I think the first lesson is the requirement to be self-sufficient. In manufacturing, production and sustenance. We cannot continuously rely on somebody else to provide us arms and ammunition. So that's the first lesson. The second major lesson of course will be at the operational level where the requirement of maintaining some degree of control of the air or what they call air superiority or air supremacy has come out loud and clear. Alongside that is of course the defence measures that are required to see the plethora of objects that need to be defended against starting from small drones to hypersonic weapons, like missile and so on. So we need to have a robust air defence network that can actually counter all the threats which are present, and which are emerging. At the tactical level, of course, we keep studying what are the lessons and we keep honing our skills based on some of the lessons keeping in mind that some of them may necessarily not be applicable in our area, it may be more relevant to that area of operations.

WION: How do you see the relationship in terms of the Air Force level with Russia?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think we do not have very, we have not carried out too many exercises with the Russian Air Force. But it's more with the Russian industry, sustained. I suppose will continue for some time as long as we keep maintaining it.

WION:&nbsp;United States - there have been a multiple exercises which have been happening, if you can talk about that. How do you see this exercise going forward?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think the engagement with the United States Air Force has been growing steadily over the years. We had taken part initially in a series of exercises, where US air force used to come to India and operate alongside us, We sent our Air Force to the United States for the exercise red flag on some occasions and going through this along with some other engagements in the multilateral exercises done in some other countries.&nbsp;We have now reached a fairly high level of confidence of operating very easily alongside the United States. So when it comes to understanding each other's tactics, understanding the methods of operation and so on, I think we have reached a high-level of comfort.

WION: Make in India is another flagship programme of the government. How is it taking off for the Indian Air Force and Tejas has been one example of it. How much has been the enthusiasm in other forces for Tejas?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think the best way to propagate the qualities of the Tejas is to take it outside to the world and show it in their displays and make it a part of the exercises&nbsp;that we do with other air forces. So we have actually now started carrying out displays of the Tejas at various air shows . And across the world, many countries many air forces have really started showing interest in this, small and potent platform.

WION: There was a crash which took place. What do you have to say about that? Are you worried about that?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: The Court of inquiry is still in progress, to establish the cause. Will takes some time to put everything together put all the evidences that are available. I will be able to comment on this only after we get to see the inquiry.

WION: West Asia has emerged as key partner, we have undertaken exercises, if you can give an overview?

&nbsp;Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Yes, we are engaging regularly firstly with the UAE Air Force. We have conducted exercises called Desert Night. We also have been doing exercises over the Arabian Sea along with the United Arab Emirates Air Force. We engaged with the Air Force of Oman through an exercise called Eastern bridge. Along with that, we also engage with the Egyptian air force in exercise Brightstar just last year, you may be aware that we are going to conduct multilateral exercises in the later part of this year. All these air forces will be taking part in this forthcoming exercise.

WION: With middle powers like France and Australia. What kind of engagement we are looking at?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: We have annual exercises with these countries. The French we had two exercises last year. This year again they are coming in for the exercise in India. With the Australians we are going out to their multilateral exercise called Pitch Black again sometime in the month of August. So our engagements with these air forces will continue.

WION: How do you see the Indian armed forces' role in terms of anti-piracy operations and perhaps my second question is linked to it. How do you see jointness as well because it is a perfect example of jointness. What's your view about that as well?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Yeah, so joint planning and execution of such missions is going to remain crucial to success of any operation and future and I think we are adequately prepared to carry out joint planning of any such mission in future along with Indian Air Force.

WION: The western part of the Indian Ocean, how do you see it as and do you see more involvement of the IAF?

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Wherever the Indian Navy calls upon us to carry out a joint mission. We will always be there.

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari has said that the Indian Air Force is "keeping a close watch" on the developments in the Indo Pacific and "collaborating with our friendly air forces to carry out the exercises quite regularly".

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari has said that the Indian Air Force is "keeping a close watch" on the developments in the Indo Pacific and "collaborating with our friendly air forces to carry out the exercises quite regularly". Indo Pacific, a region that is seen a driver of global growth has seen concerns over aggressive actions by China. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal at Air Force station Adampur, Punjab, he assured that the Air Force is "ready to take on any situation", when it comes to challenges emerging at Northern Borders. The Air Chief also detailed the role of Indian Air Force in humanitarian operations undertaken by it, from Afghanistan to South Sudan. Speaking about the Kabul operation, undertaken after fall of Afghanistan to Taliban, he said, "We had to launch an aircraft which could take the role of an airborne air traffic control. There was no ground control. We had to land our special forces first which had to secure the area around the aircraft." The Air chief also took a sortie at the Air Force station Adampur, Punjab in a Su-30 MKI. WION: The significance of sortie which you were part of? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Essentially it's a good idea, every time coming to the field level to see the level of training, the kind of exercises that are undertaken by the pilots, a large formation exercise that we undertook today, so it gave me first-hand experience of the kind of tactics, training and everything else that goes with it. So it's a good idea to get first-hand experience about what’s happening at the field level. WION: On the role of Indian Air Force in humanitarian exercises, how risky are these operations? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: IAF have always been the first respondents to any crisis across the globe, particularly in the vicinity. In the past many years, we have developed our skill level and training level to execute such missions with confidence. The evacuation of our diaspora from south Sudan, even from Kabul back in 2021, the missions were fraught with a lot of uncertainties and danger. But our trained crew and commando forces which went along with these aircrafts ensured these missions were executed flawlessly. It required a lot of teamwork, preparation, training, and this is precisely what we go through on our daily basis in Air Force. We are always preparing for such conditions that may arise anywhere across the globe. Recently, along with Indian Navy we carried out an operation of dropping speed boats from C-17 aircraft, 2500 km from our coastline along with Indian Navy. So, the kind of roles and missions we’re expected to do can be very... but with a lot of confidence we’re capable of pulling out any operation that comes our way. WION: How dangerous was the Kabul operation that happened in 2021? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: It was a time when there was no air traffic control over Kabul. The entire airspace was uncontrolled airspace. We had to launch an aircraft which could take the role of an airborne air traffic control. There was no ground control. We had to land our special forces first which had to secure the area around the aircraft. We managed to put in as many Indian nationals as we could in each of these planes and one of the interesting sorties was when we took off in absolute pitch darkness using night vision goggles in an uncontrolled airspace. This is the pinnacle of transport operations. WION: On planning to increase the zones ? Expansion of Indian Airforce capability in terms of humanitarian disasters reaching out at that time? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: The reach provided by the strategic airlift and even the aircraft like C-130 allows us to respond to any situation like this probably anywhere across the globe. So it is only the requirements that may arise anytime, providing supplies during any humanitarian situation, or whether it is rescuing or evacuating our diaspora from anywhere across the globe. I think we have the capability and the training to carry out such missions WION: How do you see the situation in the Indo Pacific? There are increased signs of worry. Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: The centre of gravity, like I said, is now the Indo Pacific region for all the militaries to keep our focus on and we are keeping a close watch on all the developments there. We have been collaborating with our friendly air forces to carry out the exercises quite regularly and interacting with them we are quite clear of how they are going to tackle the situation and anything that may arise in that region. And we are also fully prepared to join hands with them. WION: How do you assess the current situation when it comes to India's northern border. So how is the Indian Air Force prepared to deal with that as well? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: We are always prepared, we will remain prepared. We will handle any situation that may arise based on the circumstances that come up at that time. But let me assure you that we are always ready to take on any situation WION: Any lessons from the situation that emerged in last two or three years? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Our initial issue was with sustaining and maintaining our forces in high altitudes in the eastern Ladakh in particular, because you're aware that the Air Force was never equipped or trained to operate for sustained periods. So the first challenge was to deploy our units and thereafter now, keep them going there for such a long period. So with good help from an administrative support from the Indian Army and the ITBP, I think we are now quite settled in those high altitude regions. WION: Western border- How much is the worry there and how are we geared to deal with any crisis? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think it's suffice to say that we are always prepared. Whenever any new development takes place, we will redeploy as required. We will relook at our deployment policies and the way we conduct our operations. We will always respond to any situation. WION: How has the engagement been with the Russians as we have number of Russian assets as well. Has the Russia-Ukraine conflict increased concerns over the repair? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: We have a large inventory of Russian equipment, hardware, weapons and so on and to a large extent yes, we are still dependent on supply of spares from this country. Over the years, have indigenised components and spares when it comes to the aircraft fleet for example, the Sukhoi 30 itself is being manufactured under license by Hindustan Aeronautics, the engines are being manufactured under license. So the reliability on a whole lot of components has definitely reduced over the years. WION: So the conflict hasn't had much impact on the Indian Air Force's capabilities is it correct to say? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Not really a major impact. Of course, there are certain some critical components for which we are still dependent on them. But it is not a situation that I will be alarmed about. WION: Any lessons from the conflict that has happened in Europe? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Very much. If we start at the strategic level, I think the first lesson is the requirement to be self-sufficient. In manufacturing, production and sustenance. We cannot continuously rely on somebody else to provide us arms and ammunition. So that's the first lesson. The second major lesson of course will be at the operational level where the requirement of maintaining some degree of control of the air or what they call air superiority or air supremacy has come out loud and clear. Alongside that is of course the defence measures that are required to see the plethora of objects that need to be defended against starting from small drones to hypersonic weapons, like missile and so on. So we need to have a robust air defence network that can actually counter all the threats which are present, and which are emerging. At the tactical level, of course, we keep studying what are the lessons and we keep honing our skills based on some of the lessons keeping in mind that some of them may necessarily not be applicable in our area, it may be more relevant to that area of operations. WION: How do you see the relationship in terms of the Air Force level with Russia? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think we do not have very, we have not carried out too many exercises with the Russian Air Force. But it's more with the Russian industry, sustained. I suppose will continue for some time as long as we keep maintaining it. WION: United States - there have been a multiple exercises which have been happening, if you can talk about that. How do you see this exercise going forward? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think the engagement with the United States Air Force has been growing steadily over the years. We had taken part initially in a series of exercises, where US air force used to come to India and operate alongside us, We sent our Air Force to the United States for the exercise red flag on some occasions and going through this along with some other engagements in the multilateral exercises done in some other countries. We have now reached a fairly high level of confidence of operating very easily alongside the United States. So when it comes to understanding each other's tactics, understanding the methods of operation and so on, I think we have reached a high-level of comfort. WION: Make in India is another flagship programme of the government. How is it taking off for the Indian Air Force and Tejas has been one example of it. How much has been the enthusiasm in other forces for Tejas? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: I think the best way to propagate the qualities of the Tejas is to take it outside to the world and show it in their displays and make it a part of the exercises that we do with other air forces. So we have actually now started carrying out displays of the Tejas at various air shows . And across the world, many countries many air forces have really started showing interest in this, small and potent platform. WION: There was a crash which took place. What do you have to say about that? Are you worried about that? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: The Court of inquiry is still in progress, to establish the cause. Will takes some time to put everything together put all the evidences that are available. I will be able to comment on this only after we get to see the inquiry. WION: West Asia has emerged as key partner, we have undertaken exercises, if you can give an overview? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Yes, we are engaging regularly firstly with the UAE Air Force. We have conducted exercises called Desert Night. We also have been doing exercises over the Arabian Sea along with the United Arab Emirates Air Force. We engaged with the Air Force of Oman through an exercise called Eastern bridge. Along with that, we also engage with the Egyptian air force in exercise Brightstar just last year, you may be aware that we are going to conduct multilateral exercises in the later part of this year. All these air forces will be taking part in this forthcoming exercise. WION: With middle powers like France and Australia. What kind of engagement we are looking at? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: We have annual exercises with these countries. The French we had two exercises last year. This year again they are coming in for the exercise in India. With the Australians we are going out to their multilateral exercise called Pitch Black again sometime in the month of August. So our engagements with these air forces will continue. WION: How do you see the Indian armed forces' role in terms of anti-piracy operations and perhaps my second question is linked to it. How do you see jointness as well because it is a perfect example of jointness. What's your view about that as well? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Yeah, so joint planning and execution of such missions is going to remain crucial to success of any operation and future and I think we are adequately prepared to carry out joint planning of any such mission in future along with Indian Air Force. WION: The western part of the Indian Ocean, how do you see it as and do you see more involvement of the IAF? Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Wherever the Indian Navy calls upon us to carry out a joint mission. We will always be there.

Exclusive: Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari says IAF keeping watch on Indo-Pacific developments

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