IAF's Sukhoi Su-30MKIs, Apache patrol LAC in Ladakh, send a strong message to China

NEW DELHI: Indian Air Force’s (IAF) fighter jets - Sukhoi Su-30MKIs and Apache attack helicopters – have begun patrolling to keep an eye over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clashes between Indian and the Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh last month.

The patrolling by the Sukhoi Su-30MKIs and Apache attack helicopters sends out a strong message to China, especially a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Ladakh.

PM Modi visited Ladakh to review the situation at the LAC and later met the injured soldiers at the General Hospital at Leh on Friday. While interacting with them, PM Modi told them that their bravery will be a “source of inspiration for times to come" and added that 130 crore Indians are proud of them.

"We will never bow down to any power of the world, said the Prime Minister in a veiled reference to China. Post Galwan Valley clashes, the Indian Air Force has raised the alert level in all its front-line bases tasked to keep an eye on the LAC, the 3,500 km de-facto border between the two nuclear-powered countries.

The IAF has also pressed into service a fleet of C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft as well as C-130J Super Hercules in transporting heavy military equipment and weaponry to several forward bases to further ramp up India's military preparedness in the region.

The IAF is also using its Ilyushin-76 fleet to transport troops to various areas along the Line of Actual Control, the 3,500 km de-facto border between India and China, news agency PTI quoted Defence sources as saying. The sources said that the Air Force has already moved a sizeable number of its frontline Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 aircraft to several key airbases including Leh and Srinagar.

It has also deployed Apache attack choppers and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to transport troops to various forward locations. The frontline fighter jets have increased their sorties in Ladakh and nearby areas in the last few days as part of increased alert level, and probably as a response to expanded activities of the Chinese air force, the people said.

Last month, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria made a quiet visit to Ladakh and Srinagar air bases to review the Indian Air Force's preparedness to deal with any eventualities in the region. The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last seven weeks.

On the other hand, the Indian Army has already rushed in additional troops to all its key front-line bases and formations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh post the Galwan incident.

The tension between India and China escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent clash in Galwan Valley on June 15. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. India has been insisting on the restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh to restore peace and tranquillity in the region.

India and China have held several rounds of diplomatic and military talks in the last few weeks to ease tension in the region. However, there was no visible sign of end to the standoff though the two sides agreed to initiate disengagement of the forces from the region.

India on Thursday said it expected China to ensure expeditious restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas in sync with provisions of relevant bilateral pacts.

Following the Galwan Valley clashes, the Army has sent thousands of additional troops to forward locations along the border besides moving in heavy weapons.