Chinyalisaur(Uttarakhand)The ongoing nationwide mega-combat exercise of the Indian Air Force (IAF) began in Uttarakhands Uttarkashi district on Tuesday to examine the strategic preparedness of its infrastructure in the area.
Though IAF officials maintained a distance from the media, sources said the exercise Gagan Shakti began around 6.30 a.m. at Chinyalisaur town, 230km from the Indo-China border.
The first An-32 transport aircraft carrying IAF personnel landed at the Chinyalisaur airstrip around 7.15 am. The aircraft made a second landing at the airstrip at 7.45 am and a third at 8.01 am, the sources said.
The exercise would continue in Chinyalisaur till Sunday, it added.
Gagan Shakti is said to be the IAFs biggest such exercise in decades, to check its operational preparedness with a focus on dealing with all possible security challenges, including from China and Pakistan.
The two-week drill started on April 8 and would continue till the 22nd of this month, officials had said.
Last Saturday, the IAF conducted a maritime air operation in the western sea board to check its deep strike capability in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |