NEW DELHI – With an eye on the two-front threat posed by China andPakistan, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning for Gagan Shakti, acountry-wide training exercise, scheduled to take place during April 11-21.

The exercise will be conducted in two separate phases for western andnorthern borders across India and deep over the Indian waters. More than15,000 IAF personnel, including 300 officers, will move from their basesduring the exercise which will see the involvement of over 1,100 aircraft.This would mean 3,000 to 4,000 sorties per day during the exercise.

Stating that “we fight against capabilities” without mentioning theadversaries, IAF sources said that the first phase of Gagan Shakti will seepractice by forces deployed along the western border while the second phasewill be for practice along the northern border.

As per the existing protocol, Pakistan has already been intimated of theexercise. The IAF is struggling with a shortfall of fighter aircraft, withonly 31 fighter squadrons in its fleet against an authorization of 42squadrons.

To overcome the shortfall, while dealing with both China and Pakistan, IAFis practising the concept of ‘surge operations’ during the exercise. Insurge operations, the IAF will be able to generate more sorties with thesame number of aircraft by improving their maintenance and serviceability.This will be the first time when surge operations will be practiced at thelevel of the IAF.

IAF sources said that although Gagan Shakti, a force level exercise, isconducted every two years, this is the first time indigenously manufacturedTejas LCA fighter jets will participate in the exercise. IAF had raised onesquadron of Tejas in 2016 but it awaits the full complement of HAL-madefighters for its fleet.

One of the highlights of the exercise, sources said, was the highserviceability levels of the aircraft during the period.They said that the number of aircraft available during the exercise will bemuch higher than the stipulated targets, which has been made possible bysupport from DPSUs such as HAL, Bengaluru. HAL will depute 300 of its besttechnicians for the exercise.