Eastern Front IAF Airpower
In the run-up to and beyond Indian Air Force (IAF) Day on October 8, 2024, StratNews Global brings you our next series of on-the-ground interviews and documentaries from the IAF’s Eastern Air Command (EAC). In Eastern Front IAF Airpower, Season 2, Part 1, Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), EAC speaks to StratNews Global Associate Editor Amitabh P. Revi. The SNG team of Amitabh, Rohit Pandita and Aryaman Singh Negi travel to film this interview at the picturesque Tawang Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh. Watch this episode in 4K. On YouTube settings, click on the gearbox icon and choose the highest video level, 4K/2160p60 if your device is capable for the best viewer experience.
The AOC-in-C speaks on a wide-ranging set of issues in this comprehensive chat. Click to catch Season 1 here. IAF Tezpur Base; Centre Of Chain To Foil Any Chinese Intrusion In The East has over one million views.
IAF’s Future Challenges
On the IAF’s present and future challenges, Air Marshal Dharkar firmly points out, “There’s no runner up in a conflict. So you have to keep pace with whatever is happening around you. Look a little further into the distant future. And prepare as well as participate in what’s likely to come. Whether that is in terms of technology. Or whether it is in terms of TTP (tactics, techniques, procedures). Whether it is in terms of practices that you need to incorporate. Or whether it is in the nature of interactions that you need to do.
And all in all, whether it is in terms of understanding the whole model so as to be participative wherever you can be. And that goes across the entire spectrum of everything we do. There used to be a time earlier when cutting edge technology used to first find its way into the military and then evolve thereafter for more prolific use. That metric, in my opinion, is changing. Now you find cutting edge technology also entering the civilian domain almost at the same time. And sometimes even earlier”.
IAF And India’s Neighbourhood
“When you look at the nature of adversarial developments that you see in the neighborhood as well,” the AOC-in-C, EAC says, “the changing dynamics of what goes on here. I’d mentioned we have five neighbours. And we’ve seen very recently what happened in the neighborhood. It’s a continuing challenge. How we would aim to prepare for it is to be alive to the situation. To be interacting internally with all means of government, within the country to work towards furthering our government’s intentions in terms of outreach. And being adequately collaborative with everybody around so as to maximise what we can get, to make it the best bang for the buck”.
Air Marshal Dharkar also discusses:
- The EAC area of responsibility with 5 bordering countries and Chinese occupied Tibet as well as 12 states.
- IAF’s Rafale omni-role fighter jets that are stationed at the Hasimara Air Force Station.
- Infrastructure development at the IAF’s bases, stations and ALGs.
- Medium Endurance Long Endurance UAVs.
- Critical support of the Indian Army.
- Challenges in the EAC.
- Training in varied atmosphere and terrain.
- Why foreign militaries come to the EAC.
- Full-mission simulators and upgrades.
- The connection that IAF has made with the common person through its crises ops.
- Chief priorities as AOC-in-C
- How future ready is the IAF.
- and India’s Space Doctrine.
Editor’s Note: Air Marshal Dharkar took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff on October 3, 2024.
