'The Indian Air Force was ready to strike at Pakistan. However, ultimately it depends on what the government wants,' says former Air Chief Fali H Major.
Fali Major said that all theat perceptions in the present geo-political scenario around the country has been 'catered to.'
With his appointment, the government chose to uphold the principle of seniority and waived the tradition of only making fighter pilots the head of the world's fourth largest air force.
The exchange concluded with a good round of hearty laugh from one and all present, much to the relief of the organisers who clearly did not want a repeat of Wednesday evening's unsavoury moments. During Wednesdays' lecture by Kapoor, his reference to ISI's involvement in the recent Indian embassy bombing in Kabul had led to the Pakistan Defence attache breaching protocol and instantly getting up to contradict the Army chief.
According to defence ministry figures, infiltration attempts in Kashmir jumped to 83 during April, marking a four-fold increase.
Major's remarks assume significance as they came in the wake of growing demands for allowing women to fly fighters as is being done in the US Air Force.
Softening its rigidity, Indian Air Force has now agreed to release its pilots to civil aviation stream in a phased manner in the face of acute shortage being faced by state-owned carriers.
The Indian Air Force has given the go ahead for induction of the indigenous surface-to-air Akash missile.
With a view to increase its surveillance capabilities, the Indian Air Force is going to have its own satellite in space by the end of 2010. "We will launch our satellite by the end of 2010," IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major said in Bangalore on Thursday.
The IAF wants to take part in the exercises slated for January 2008 and has sought the government's clearance, Air Force Chief Fali Homi Major said in Delhi on Friday.
'We were against politicisation of the defence acquisition process. It was a question of capability of the air force'
'Rafale is much more advanced and lethal than the current fighter aircraft available with China. The timing of the arrival of the jets is perfect'
Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar is underwriting the revival of a vintage Dakota as a gift to the Indian Air Force.
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