Rafale aircraft caused worries in Chinese camp, says IAF chief RKS Bhadauria amid LAC standoff

Amid the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria on Thursday asserted that the induction of Rafale aircraft has caused worries in the Chinese camp. He said IAF is fully prepared to deal with any situation. In an interview with news agency ANI, Bhadauria said China had deployed J-20 fighter jets close to Indian territory as soon as the Rafale jets joined the Indian air fleet. He stressed that India has made adequate deployments at the China border to deal with the ongoing conflict with Beijing. “The situation there currently is that talks are going on. We have deployed our forces which are required. All depends on how the talks go. A lot of attention is being given to that and if de-escalation and disengagement start, it would be good. If it does not happen or some new situation happens, we are fully prepared for that,” the IAF Chief said. While talking about the current situation at the border in eastern Ladakh, Bhadauria said that talks are underway and it all depends on how the talks go. “The situation there (India-China border) is that talks are going on. All depends on how talks go. A lot of attention is being given to that and if de-escalation and disengagement start, it’ll be good. If it doesn’t happen or some new situation happens, we’re fully prepared,” the IAF Chief said. ‘Huge step by Govt to provide budgetary support’ The IAF chief hailed the defence budget saying it’s a huge step by the government to provide this kind of increase in the capital outlay. “We all know the pandemic effect and its impact on the economic scenario. To get this level (Rs 20,000 cr) increase in capital outlay, it’s a huge step by the government to provide that kind of budgetary support,” the IAF chief said. “Last year also, additional funds of Rs 20,000 crores were provided. That helped the emergent procurement plans of the three forces, and that really helped us. I think it is adequate for our capability building,” he added.