Uttam kumar reddy on IAF Chief Statement: The Congress, referring to the recent statement of Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, has asked the Modi government to take necessary corrective steps regarding defense preparations. Senior Congress leader and Irrigation, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy of Telangana expressed pride in the Indian Army to destroy terrorist camps in Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. He said that recently the Air Force chief has described the serious delay in the supply of fighter aircraft and weapons as a major problem for the Indian Air Force, which is definitely a matter of concern.
Reddy said that he has served as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force. Sharing his experiences as a member of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, he said that during the last Lok Sabha tenure, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Revant Reddy and he themselves raised the issue several times, which currently has only 31 squadrons compared to the sanctioned capacity of 42 operational fighters squadron. He also said that each squadron consists of 16-18 fighter aircraft. The number of available squadrons is much less than the requirement, especially when India is constantly threatened by both China and Pakistan.
Lack of manpower in all three armed forces- more than 10 percent- Reddy
The Congress leader cited the lack of manpower of more than 10 percent in the three armed forces. Reddy also said that India has lagged behind China in the field of defense technology and production, although our training standards still remain better.
He said that the Indian Air Force needs about 35 to 40 fighter aircraft annually. HAL has been given a contract to supply 24 aircraft per year and has failed to give it too.
The Congress leader also mentioned the issue of lack of talent in the Air Force raised by the Air Force chief. He said that the government should ensure that the country’s best talents are attracted to the areas of Air Force operation, research and development, which is not currently happening.
CDS confirmed the fall of the aircraft- Reddy
Reddy also mentioned the fall of Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor. He said that Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has also confirmed the fall of Indian aircraft. When Rahul Gandhi raised the same question, the BJP launched a negative campaign against him.
He said that DG Air Operations (DGMO) Air Marshal Bharti had also said that the loss in the fight is normal, it is important that the purpose of the operation has been achieved and all the pilots have returned home, although they did not mention any fighter aircraft returning to their base.
Why Trump announces ceasefire before India- Reddy
Reddy said that now the government should stop the claim that no aircraft fell. He said that the Modi government should show transparency in the whole matter and revaluate the technology being used. He also said that the Modi government has not yet clearly explained why the US President announced the ceasefire before India.