IAF slams Chinese protest to PM's Arunachal Pradesh visit

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) Slamming China for objecting to
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to northeastern
state of Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian Air Force (IAF)
Wednesday said it does not "fear" the Chinese military and
that the neighbour should not have any problem with it
upgrading airstrips in the North-East.

IAF vice chief Air Marshal P K Barbora said when India
does not object to China's military activities in Tibet, the
latter too "should have nothing" against Indians developing
their military capabilities in the North-East.

"Early this year, President Pratibha Patil, who is the
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited Arunachal
Pradesh. China had no objections then. Why should they protest
when the Prime Minister visits the frontier state now?"
Barbora said at a press conference here.

He said Chinese reactions to the Prime Minister's visit
to the border state should be "read between the lines," as
democratic elections were taking place in the state.

"IAF does not fear. We (India) have not said anything
against their military activities in Tibet. They (China)
should have nothing when we build defence capabilities in our
areas (in the North-East)," he said.

The IAF vice chief was replying to questions if the
Air Force feared adverse Chinese reaction to it upgrading six
Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in Arunachal Pradesh for
operating heavier transport aircraft.
Pointing out that China claims Arunachal Pradesh to be a
disputed territory but India does not accept it, Barbora said
the IAF mandate was to improve the ALGs, helipads and also the
IAF air bases in the border state.

The plan to improve Air Force infrastructure in the
states bordering China was taken by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh after the IAF reopened the Daulat Beg Oldi landing strip
in Ladakh region last year.

"We are upgrading airbases and reopening airstrips in
South India too, which traditionally has had lesser number of
Air Force infrastructure for long," he added.

"IAF responsibility is also to ferry civilians in
inaccessible areas of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh and
tourists visiting those areas, apart from transporting army
troops and paramilitary personnel for deployment," he said.

He also said that the IAF was acquiring more 'Akash'
medium range Surface-to-Air missile squadrons for deployment
in the North-East, apart from the Sukhois it would base at
Tezpur and other air bases there.

"We have two squadrons of Akash at present. We are asking
for more squadrons for the North-East to upgrade our air
defence capabilities. It is a good missile and we have also
asked for some improvements in it," Barbora said.

However, he clarified, IAF's infrastructure and
capabilities plan was not adversary-specific, but
capability-specific.

China, Barbora said, had a couple of years ago upgraded
the Lingzhi air base just 30 km from the India's northeastern
border.

"They are also upgrading facilities in Tibet at about
10,000 ft altitude, which is not healthy as the aircraft's
performance would be affected at such a high altitude," he
said.

Similarly, IAF too was upgrading facilities in
high-altitude areas by creating longer airstrips to facilitate
heavier aircraft operations from there.

"All these airstrips can be for dual use -- both
transport aircraft and fighter jets can operate from here," he
added.

He said the IAF-upgraded airstrips in the North-East
would be able to operate the C-130J Hercules, six of which it
bought from the US recently for India's Special Forces'
operations. PTI NCB
ANU