Defence Ministry expedites process to announce new Air Defence Command by October

The Department of Military Affairs has accelerated the process of restructuring the armed forces as the new air defence command under the Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to come up at Prayagraj in the second week of October to mark the Air Force Day celebration. It is proposed to be set up alongside the Central Command Headquarters of the IAF which controls pivotal air bases including Agra, Gwalior and Bareilly.

'Efforts are being made to put everything together'

The prime focus of the new air command is to combine the resources of the three services that is Army, Navy, Air Force under one command and activate it to protect the air space of the country.

"The work has been hastened to prepare the structure of the command under an Air Force officer. Efforts are being made to put everything together and announce the creation of the air defence command at Prayagraj around the Air Force Day on October 8 this year," government sources told ANI.

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The Department of Military Affairs under Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has been given the order to create joint military commands along with theatre commands. A study in this matter was done by the IAF's Vice Chief Air Marshal HS Arora which has also suggested the structure of the proposed command comprising assets of all the three services. Furthermore, the CDS is also working on the formulation of the combined maritime command which would come up either at Kochi in Kerala or Karwar in Karnataka.

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'No new posts will be created'

The CDS has also made it clear to the armed forces that he would not create any additional post at a three-star level for guarding any of the new commands. The new formations will be raised from the existing resources. Each service has its individual air defence set-up. The air defence command would combine the air defence assets of the Army, Air Force and Navy and jointly provide air defence cover to the country.

Meanwhile, a proposal for the acquisition of two new PHALCON Airborne Early Warning ad Control Systems from Israel and Russia has reached the Cabinet Committee on Security and may be taken up for clearance soon, in a view to protect the air space of the country.

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(With ANI Inputs)