Air Force chief Dhanoa warns Pakistan, says IAF always alert along Indo-Pak border

415
Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. File Photo

New Delhi, August 20: After Army Chief’s ‘bloodier nose’ warning to Pakistan, Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force BS Dhanoa sent a stern message to the neighbouring country on Tuesday saying the Indian Air Force is always alert in a state of alert along the Indio-Pak border to prevent any misadventure by Pakistan.

“The air force is always alert on border, irrespective if there is enemy movement or not. Since even civilian aircraft cross the line sometimes, we have to take care of the situation also,” Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said on Tuesday.

Earlier, Army chief General Bipin Rawat had warned Pakistan of a “bloodier nose” if it chooses to go into another war with India while he advised Pakistan not to repeating “misadventures”.

IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched books on indigenisation efforts of defence equipment by services at a seminar on indigenisation plans of the Indian Air Force.

Speaking at the event on indigenously developed equipment, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said, “We can’t wait for indigenous technology to replace obsolete war-fighting equipment, neither will it be prudent to import every defence equipment from abroad. What we are doing is replacing our high-end obsolete weapons with indigenously developed ones.”

Union Defence Minister, who was also present at the event, termed the Indian Air Force a technologically advanced and extremely potent force, and added, “The recent offensive strike against terrorist outfits in our neighbourhood speaks volumes about the reach and lethality of the formidable arm of the Indian Armed Forces.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had last week approved the setting up of a Committee under the chairmanship of Director General (Acquisition) to review the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 and Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2009 to strengthen the ‘Make in India’ programme.