A big worry for India- Quick steps are needed

As today I read this news- "Half of IAF’s equipment is obsolete: Air Chief" is a big worry-point for India. Lets read the report published by Indian Express (05.10.2010)-

About half of IAF’s equipment is obsolete, Air Chief Marshal P V Naik said Monday. The startling revelation came at a time when the IAF has put an elaborate defence plan in place to protect the ongoing Commonwealth Games from possible aerial attacks.Though Naik emphasised that the Air Force was capable of defending the country from any threat, he admitted that the ‘obsolescence percentage’ would come down to 20 percent only by 2014-15.

The IAF has ordered several new weapons systems like the indigenous Akash Air Defence System and the Israeli Spyder Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MR-SAM) system for its armoury, it currently relies heavily on ageing Russian-made Pechora and OSA AK Air Defence Missiles and Shoulder-fired Igla Surface to Air Missiles (SAM).

Prakash Trivedi
BHEL