By IANS
Kolkata : There is no possibility of a conflict with China in the near future, a top Indian Air Force (IAF) commander said here Friday, adding that the situation along the Indo-China border was peaceful.
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command (EAC) S.K. Bhan told reporters here: “I don’t see any threat, as such, from China in next 10 years. But the EAC is always prepared for anything from that side (China). China is something we should be always prepared for.”
Talking on the significance of the EAC in terms of national security, Bhan said the command shares five international borders with – China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.
“States like West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and the entire northeast fall under the command’s territory. So geographically this area is quite important,” he said.
This was Bhan’s first visit to Kolkata after taking over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Shillong-based EAC.
Bhan said the EAC was also undertaking certain upgradation programme of its own resources.
“The Indian Air Force will bring in one squadron of Sukhoi-30 in the EAC by the beginning of 2009 and another squadron of Sukhoi-30 will be brought in 2010,” he said, adding the EAC will also upgrade the MiG-27 aircraft.
Bhan said at present the EAC has MiG-21 and MiG-27 as fighter aircraft, An-32 for short-medium-range transportation and helicopters like MiG-17 and Chetak.