Shoot orders by Indian Air Force at 20 key airbases

The govt is expected to implement a plan that could cost about `8,000 cr to upgrade security and plugg loopholes

Following the Pathankot terror attack, the IAF has put its airbases — numbering over 20 — in the Western sector on high alert and issued shoot-at-sight orders against any intruder who attempts to break into these bases, even as the government is expected to implement a plan, that could cost about Rs 8,000 crore, for upgrading the security and plugging loopholes in the 54 large IAF airbases across the country.

Earlier, financial constraints had meant the plan would be implemented only in phases but that has drastically changed following the Pathankot attack, with the government clearly not willing to take any chances.

“All bases in the Western Air Command have been put on high alert. Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued against anyone attempting to enter the base by scaling the perimeter wall or through unauthorised access,” a senior IAF officer said. The IAF has also asked the government to strictly impose the ban against construction within 100 metres of any airbase and within 900 metres of its ammunition depot. The IAF has also requested the government to help in clearing encroachments near its airbases across the country.

The IAF has also been stepping up security at its Hindon airbase near Delhi and is building a 10 ft high wall around the place replacing the earlier fence. “About 60 per cent of this work has been completed around the Hindon airbase,” the officer said.

Replying to queries about whether an insider had a role in the Pathankot attack, the senior IAS officer said that NIA was investigating whether there was anything of the sort but added that a preliminary probe by IAF has not found anything to substantiate such a suspicion.

The officer said the IAF is in the process of finalising a comprehensive security proposal for its 54 main flying bases in the country.

The proposal could mean an expenditure of about `8,000-crore and would mean a cost of Rs 100-150 crore per base. That will include smart perimeter intrusion system, CCTVs, motion detectors, quadro drones, among other things, he said.

The officer said, “These proposals were already in the pipeline. Because of financial constraints, we are doing it in a phased manner. Our first focus was to protect the main assets and then move to the perimeter wall.”

He said the government has told IAF that there will be no financial constraints for these works. “The proposal is being prepared. We hope to get it going as soon as possible,” he said, adding that the IAF is fast-tracking the process.

The IAF has completed a special audit of all its 950 flying and non-flying establishments. The officer said that two teams from the Directorate of Air Staff carried out the audit of the bases. “No major weaknesses were found in the audit,” he said, adding that audits are conducted every six months.