Guwahati : Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that, the Indian Air Force is emerging a big power in the world and capable to fight against any enemy.
As the Indian Air Force (IAF) has conducted its massive exercise Gaganshakti 2018 in the China bordering Arunachal Pradesh, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday had visited Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh and Chabua Air Force Station in Upper Assam.
The Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited Arunachal Pradesh’s Pasighat Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) operations by fighters and transport aircraft of IAF as a part of Gaganshakti 2018.
The Defence Minister also visited Chabua Air Force Station in Assam to oversee the IAF's biggest exercise in a war-like scenario.
At Chabua she took a MI 17 went to Passighat and at Passighat ALG two SU30s took off and then C130 J landed, from which Garud Commandos simulated taking over of the Base.
She took off for the DM Range, SU 30s dropped 3 1000 pounders, then performed Carpet Bombing of 16 100 ponders, MI 17 gunships fired rockets.
Nirmala Sitharaman was sitting in the tower with the Air Chief, also she was seeing the bomb drop area, with one camera placed at the bomb drop zone.
She came back to the Chabua Base and saw bomb loading into the SU 30 MKIs.
"Gaganshakti 2018 exercise is being done in the region because the situation I different in the bordering areas we are able to tackle any situation," Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Gagan Shakti-2018 is the biggest peace time military exercise undertaken by India since Operation Brasstacks in 1986-1987.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
