Speaking exclusively to Republic Media Network in Guwahati on Tuesday, AoC-in-C of Eastern Air Command Air Marshall DK Patnaik shared his thoughts.

With the advancement of technology, inclement weather is no longer a challenge for the Indian Air Force in the Northeast region. Speaking exclusively to Republic Media Network in Guwahati on Tuesday, AoC-in-C of Eastern Air Command Air Marshall DK Patnaik shared his thoughts.

"In peacetime, we are not applying it, but in case of any situation we are capable and weather conditions don't matter. We keep practising for it," Air Marshall Patnaik said.

Speaking about guarding the Eastern theatre, he said that the challenges are more internal. We are a growing Force in the region with enemies close by.

He stressed on the need to increase armament stores in the region. He said the IAF has already made a request to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in this regard and the necessary steps are being taken by the State government.

Recently with photographs of Chinese construction along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh clicked by Indian Army porters and reported exclusively by Republic TV, the topic of India's move for rapid infrastructure development in the region topped the charts of discussion in the country. Cutting short travel time from the plains of Assam to the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh is seen as the most urgent need for military mobilization. However, with India's rapid expansion in the region in terms of infrastructure development, it's now a reality not very far away.

"We are expanding. Arunachal Pradesh is bordering most of the Chinese locations and China has developed their locations close to the Line of Actual Control and we were lacking behind, but now things are changing. We are advancing now. We have 9 ALGs close to the LAC and we are trying to cut short travel time to hours like China did. We are catching up with our counterparts," said Air Marshall DK Patnaik.

The Eastern Air Command is often dubbed as the most challenging Command of Indian Air Force because of the difficult terrains and the inclement weather conditions in the Himalayas.