20 Navy MiG-29s moved to Ladakh

Navy’s P-8I spy plane also deployed at LAC

India has started deploying MiG-29K aircraft, the Navy’s maritime fighter jets, at Indian Air Force bases in the northern sector to strengthen its air power amid heightened tensions with China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The MiG-29Ks could also be used for combat air patrols (CAP) in the Ladakh sector.

The Navy has around 40 MiG-29Ks and only half of them are deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The jets were procured by the Navy along with the aircraft carrier over a decade ago.

The Navy’s P-8I surveillance aircraft are reported to have been deployed in Ladakh to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance on the Chinese People Liberation Army (PLA). The aircraft had been deployed at Dokhlam during the 73-day stand-off with China in 2017. The Army was amazed with the kind of intelligence which the P-8Is were able to pick up on the Chinese.

India has been focusing on bringing greater coordination among the

Army, Air Force and the Navy. The post of the Chief of Defence Staff was created so that the three services can work together.

The IAF has also deployed around a dozen Jaguar maritime strike fighters, which are armed with the anti-ship Harpoon missile in the Andaman and Nicobar islands that dominate China’s sea trade routes passing through the Malacca Strait.

The Chinese PLA Air Force (PLAAF) has shifted its J-11 and J-8 fighter aircraft to the Hotan, Kashgar and Gargunsa air bases. Satellite images have spotted deployment of fighter aircraft, drones, surveillance aircraft and air defence missile system at Hotan which is the Chinese air base nearest to the Ladakh sector.

The IAF has also deployed Sukhoi-30MKI, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar fighter aircraft at advanced positions.

India will receive five Rafale fighter jets next week from France and the IAF has said that it will focus on their operationalisation at the earliest. IAF air and ground crew have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft, including its highly advanced weapons systems and are fully operational now. IAF Apache attack helicopters and Chinooks heavylift helicopters are also active in Leh.