Ladakh: Over 68,000 Army soldiers, around 90 tanks and other weapon systems were airlifted by the Indian Air Force to eastern Ladakh from across the country for rapid deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley, top sources in defence and security establishment said.
The IAF deployed its Su-30 MKI and Jaguar jets for round-the-clock surveillance and intelligence gathering on the enemy build-up, besides putting several squadrons of combat aircraft in āoffensive posturingā following the clashes on June 15, 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades, they said.
The troops and weapons were ferried by the transport fleet of the IAF within a āvery short period of timeā for quick deployment in various inhospitable areas along the LAC under a special operation, the sources said while highlighting how the forceās strategic airlift capability has increased over the years.
In view of the escalating tensions, the IAF had also deployed a sizeable number of remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs) in the region to keep a hawk-eye vigil on Chinese activities, they said.
As the lingering border row continues in several friction points, the Indian Army and the IAF have been maintaining a high degree of combat readiness to confront any challenge from the adversary, the sources said.