— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K

GRAND FINALE: Sky divers performing at the aero show at Yelahanka Air Station in Bangalore on Friday.

BANGALORE: The curtains came down on the Indian Air Force's (IAF) version of a United Nations conclave that spanned three cities and lasted one week. Celebrating its Platinum Jubilee, the IAF had conducted the preparations for the conclave in strict secrecy and showed its hand only after an impressive 90 per cent of the air forces from around the world confirmed their participation, over two-thirds by their respective Chiefs of Air Staff.

It all began in Delhi from February 2 when Air Force planes, mainly from the developed world, began dropping their air chiefs at the IAF enclave, known as "technical area'' at the Indira Gandhi Airport. Air chiefs from smaller countries arrived by the humbler commercial air services. The paucity of parking space meant the planes had to return to their home bases while the air chiefs along with senior officers, representing those who could not make it, headed for a two-day international conference preceded by an "ice breaker dinner'' hosted by the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi.

Anecdotes

The conference took off to an entertaining start when one of the world's oldest living aviators and Marshal of the IAF, Arjan Singh, regaled them with stories of the quaint aircraft during World War I. The engine of the plane was uncovered and placed in front of the pilot who could see all the pistons working. "Another advantage of having the engine upfront was that it took the brunt whenever we crashed into a hill, and the pilot could walk away from the debris,'' he said.

The proceedings got into groove with the air chiefs putting their minds together on the burning military aviation issues of the 21st century, including the political, economic and military dimensions of strategic power and sharing their experiences on integrating aerospace operations and surface forces. February 6 was the day to visit the Taj Mahal with Air Chief Marshal Tyagi giving them no options: "If you have already seen the Taj, tough luck. You will have to see it again.''

There was a blanket of secrecy again as the IAF was taking a huge security gamble by taking almost the entire top brass of world's air forces together to the Taj and then on to Bangalore for the air show. Soon it was time to bid adieu and from February 8 onwards, Air Force planes began arriving to take their chiefs back. The IAF had pulled off an unusual conclave, helped by the fact that India had turned into a huge buyers' market for military equipment and some of the air chiefs would not have missed the opportunity to put in a good word for the products they flew.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail