Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to visit Chabua for IAF Gaganshakti exercise

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to visit Chabua in Assam on Thursday to oversee the Indian Air Force’s biggest exercise in a war-like scenario in recent times called Gaganshakti, being conducted along the borders with Pakistan and China.

Gaganshakti-2018, the biggest exercise since Operation Brasstacks in 1986-1987, is witnessing the use of over 1100 fighters, helicopters and transport aircraft to practise real time scenario with the participation of the army and navy for integrated operations along the western and northern frontiers. Sources added that Sitharaman will be examining the exercise during her visit to Chabua, where an air force station is located and which houses Su-30 MKI fighter jets that are capable of striking targets inside China.

“The Defence Minister is likely to visit Chabua on Thursday for overseeing the Gaganshakti exercise,” said a senior government official, adding that she will be returning to Delhi on the same day.


The first phase of Gaganshakti, which began on April 8, was held along the western front and the intent was to generate maximum number of fighter sorties to overwhelm enemy forces. Even the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas participated. The exercise has now shifted to the eastern front and will witness operations at advanced landing grounds and helipads, besides inter-valley transfer of troops and equipment from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. The exercise will include the use of fighter aircraft such as Su-30s, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, Jaguar, MiG-21 and transport planes such as the C-130-J that allow the quick insertion of troops.

The exercise aims at checking the IAF’s operational capabilities in a war-like scenario and its preparedness for high tempo operations. The IAF added, “The aim of this exercise is real time coordination, deployment and employment of air power in a short and intense battle scenario.”

The IAF also conducted maritime air operations aimed at air dominance and deep strike capability over the Indian Ocean Region. For instance, the Su-30s became airborne from a base on the eastern coast and engaged multiple targets in the western seaboard located 2500 km away. These ranges were possible by the support of the IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft, ensuring long range strike capabilities.