The Indian Air Force (IAF) will initiate retaliatory measures against the Chinese Air Force’s breach of the 10-km “No Fly Zone” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and increase air patrolling by IAF fighter jets, sources have said. China has been provoking India for the past month by flying its aircrafts too close to the LAC and intruding into the “No Fly Zone”, they said.
“No Fly Zone” is a confidence-building measure that was agreed upon by India and China after the Galwan Valley standoff in May 2020.
As part of its measures against Chinese aggression, India has deployed its navy’s Boeing P8-I and the Rafale fighter jets, sources said.
The Indian Navy has deployed Boeing P8-I, which provides real-time pictures and information to the army on the ground through military satellite Rukmini, for reconnaissance and surveillance along the LAC, they said.
The IAF has deployed the Rafale fighter jets at the Leh airbase with its complete weapon package, including the beyond visual range missiles, they added.
The second battery of the S-400 air defence system is also to be deployed near LAC in a couple of months, which will cover a further 800 km of air defence.
Meanwhile, India and China failed to make any breakthrough in resolving outstanding issues on the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh at the 16th round of military talks last week.
India continues to press for early disengagement of troops from all the remaining friction points in the region and demanded the restoration of the status quo ante as of April 2020 — before the start of the military standoff.
The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.
As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.
Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.
