- With an eye on the two-front threat posed by China and Pakistan ,the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to conduct its biggest ever combat exercise Gagan Shakti along Pakistan and China borders.
- The exercise- Gagan Shakti, 2018- will be taking place between April 10 to 23.
- The exercise will be conducted in two separate phases for western and northern borders across India and deep over the Indian waters.
- More than 15,000 IAF personnel, including 300 officers, will move from their bases during the exercise which will see the involvement of over 1,100 aircraft.
- Although Gagan Shakti, a force level exercise, is conducted every two years, this is the first time indigenously manufactured Tejas LCA fighter jets will participate in the exercise. IAF had raised one squadron of Tejas in 2016 but it awaits the full complement of HAL-made fighters for its fleet.
Source:Indian Express