The Air Force Academy conducted its Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) ceremony at Dundigal in Hyderabad on Saturday. As many as 123 air warriors, including 19 women officers, got commissioned by the Indian Air Force (IAF). This year's parade was however different from earlier commissioning ceremonies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is the 205th course of the Indian Air Force Academy of pre-commissioning training of Flight Cadets of various IAF branches.
Parents and kith and kin of the newly commissioned officers were not present at the parade and they had to watch the parade on televisions and social media.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria was the Reviewing Officer of the Passing Out Parade. He conferred the 'President's Commission' to the graduating trainees.
Indian Air Force Chief Bhadauria stated that though there is no war between India and China but the forces are prepared and are ready to respond to any contingency.
He added that what happened in Ladakh is a small snapshot of what 'we are required to handle at short notice'.
The Chief further stated that, "In spite of unacceptable Chinese action after agreements reached after military talks and resultant loss of lives, all efforts are underway to ensure that the current situation at the LAC is resolved peacefully but it should be very clear that we are well prepared and suitably deployed to respond to any contingency."
He was asked that are the newly commissioned officers going directly at the border, to which he replied that nation is determined to deliver and further added, "No, this is not an emergency situation. These are not the officers who get into cockpits to fight at the frontline. Obviously 100 number is a good number to have in the field also in terms of current situation. We are taking all our officers from our training institutes to the field to expedite their training on the next system they planned to be deployed so that they can become operational at the earliest."
He confirmed that all the three forces have taken all necessary steps for any probable contingency.
