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National Security : Pakistan’s search for F-16s not worrying, says Air Chief |
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India’s new Air Force Chief has asserted that there is no need to worry about Pakistan’s efforts to purchase F-16 fighter aircraft, saying: “We have our own plans”.
“It is a constant process, we buy something and they buy something and also the numbers (of aircraft) to be purchased (by Pakistan) are still not formally decided,” Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi said at his maiden press conference after taking over as Chief of Air Staff.
He, however, hastened to add he was not suggesting that New Delhi should ignore Islamabad’s decision but added that the country had its own plans.
Pakistan first discussed the purchase of high tech planes, especially F-16s, with the US and then approached other countries following Washington’s reluctance.
India last year prevailed over Belgium not to sell 30 second-hand nuclear-capable F-16s to Pakistan.
Though the Indian government has officially contended that acquisition of F-16s by Pakistan could adversely affect the balance of air power between the two countries, Tyagi said he did not apprehend any such “imbalance”.
At the same time, Tyagi said, India was negotiating with Russia to acquire fifth generation fighter aircraft. These had already been inducted into the Air Forces of the US, China and Russia.
He pointed out that India had received six of the 10 Mirage-2000 fighters from France while four would be delivered later. Talks are also on for acquiring 126 Mirage-2000-5s.
Responding to queries on the safety of the IAF’s MiG-21 aircraft, he said he was happy that their accident rate had come down considerably. Only two crashes were recorded last year compared to 12 in 1999.
“We constantly endeavour to find mistakes and our composite programme to set the mistakes right is slowly showing results. There is no magic key to stop accidents in a day but there is definitely reduction in the accidents,” he said.
Tyagi ruled out grounding the MiG-21s, saying there was a process to phase out fighter planes and that would be followed.
He also ruled out closing the airbase in Car Nicobar, which was completely damaged by the tsunami Dec 26, as repairs had been carried out to the runway and the base had become operational.
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