To avoid any escalation of their border disputes, India and China are expected to establish a hotline connection between their air forces. Top government sources informed India Today that the topic came up at the two nations’ special military discussions that were held in Chushul, Ladakh, last week.
The source claims that the two air forces recently engaged in a form of conflict as a result of the Chinese Air Force’s repeated attempts to irritate India in the Eastern Ladakh region, which prompted the necessity for a hotline. In order to protest Chinese air actions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, India and China had special military-to-military discussions.
The two nations will probably settle on the size and structure of the hotline during their next negotiations. A Major General from the Indian side and an Air Commodore from the Air Force led the special military negotiations last week. Even though it has been involved in the military confrontation with China since the beginning, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has never before been included in the negotiations with China.
The negotiations took place on Tuesday in the Chushul Moldo area at the location of the border’s meeting point, where the two parties have been debating how to end the standoff for almost two years. The Chinese were also urged by the Indian side to follow the Confidence Building Measure (CBM) line and observe and stay within their airspace while flying within Indian territory.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari stated that he has taken a strong stance against the Chinese action and that air activity across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is always being watched.
When we notice any Chinese actions on the LAC, we immediately scramble our fighter jets, the man added. “We have begun placing our radars all along the LAC in the eastern Ladakh area,” he continued. We have gradually connected each of these radars to our Integrated Aviation Command and Control System (IACCS), allowing us to keep an eye on air activity.