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TIMES OF INDIA

IAF-Chinese AF exercises likely
18 Nov 2008, 0345 hrs IST, TNN

NAGPUR: Keen to increase co-operation with its Chinese counterpart, the Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to hold joint exercises with the Peoples
Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force. The chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Major had visited China early this month and held talks with Chinese Air Force officials on various bilateral issues.

Though planned to be held over next couple of years, if the move materialises, this would be the first ever joint manoeuvre by the IAF and the PLA Air Force, Major told reporters at a press conference at the start of a commanders' conference being held at Head Quarters Maintenance Command (HQMC) in Nagpur.

The Indian army had conducted its first joint exercise with PLA in December last year, while the Navy continues to hold basic level joint exercises with China.

"My visit to China was quite successful. I met the chief of the PLA AF and also called on the Chinese defence minister, with whom I had fairly long discussions," he said. There were talks about exchanges between the IAF and the PLA AF. We also explored the plans to hold joint exercises with China, Major added. During his visit to the air show in Zuhi, China, at which the IAF's Surya Kiran aerobatics team performed, the air chief also got an opportunity to study the Chinese technology.

Major said he was highly impressed by the discipline and Chinese way of systematically managing their affairs which, he felt, could be emulated by India. About Chinese military co-operation with Pakistan, he said it did not appear to be a matter of concern for the IAF.

On recent comments of CAG on India having a weak air surveillance system, he admitted that there were gaps indeed and it would take around five years for the IAF to induct an entirely fool-proof system.

The IAF was in the process of buying new radars and other sensing equipment and the ministry of defence was facilitating speedy execution of this project. The air force was set to receive 30 radars from the Bharat Electronics Limited and procurement of much more equipment was in the pipeline. It would still take around 4-5 years for the IAF to have a foolproof air surveillance system, he stressed.