As an airfield in the border state of Arunachal Pradesh was reactivated on Friday, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne said beefing up infrastructure in the Northeast is not to “counter” the Chinese.
Air Chief Marshal Browne also said the Vijaynagar airfield, located at the country’s easternmost tip at the tri-junction of India, China and Burma, is too short to operate fighter aircraft.
The Air Chief said in addition to AN-32 cargo planes, which will be in operation now, there will be C130 transport flights in due course from the airfield.
The airfield is “too small for fighter aircraft,” Air Chief Marshal Browne told reporters in Bengaluru.
It was reactivated on Friday in the presence of Arunachal Pradesh governor-general (retd) J.J. Singh.
Asked whether the infrastructure plans in the Northeast were to “counter” the Chinese, Air Chief Marshal Browne said: “It’s not to counter anybody. All that we are doing is to provide tremendous amount of accessibility to the north-east region”.
He pointed out that the region had not developed because of inability to transport people and provide access to certain hinterland areas. The increased accessibility would lead to all-round development of the Northeast, he said. “And while we (IAF) are there, we will also support the Army”, he added.
The use of Vijaynagar airfield was discontinued in 2009 for carrying out repairs there.
This is the first advanced landing ground in the Northeast to be upgraded in what is seen as India’s efforts to match Chinese military infrastructure development activities.
— PTI