IAF bases were on alert as nation celebrated Republic Day

New Delhi, Jan 26 (PTI) As India celebrated the 60th
Republic Day Monday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had put all
its major frontline bases and those around Delhi on alert in
view of intelligence warnings about 9/11-type aerial strikes
on the capital.

"All the major bases along the border and around the
capital were maintaining Operational Readiness Procedures
(ORP) after warnings about possible aerial strikes by
terrorists on the capital," an IAF source here said.

While maintaining ORP, fighter aircraft at the air bases
are ready to fly out within few seconds after receiving input
about any 'rogue' aircraft trying to violate Indian airspace,
sources explained.

A detachment of three MiG 29s had been sent from Adampur
air base to Hindan airbase in Ghaziabad near here to meet any
threat to Delhi where the main Republic Day parade was
witnessed by Indian President Pratibha Patil, Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbayev and the country's top political brass.

"The three-aircraft detachment was on alert on the
base," a source said.

These MiGs are expected to be deployed there till
relations between India and Pakistan are back to normal,"
the source said.

To provide security to the Republic Day parade, the
IAF had also deployed two armed helicopters each of Mi-17 IV
and Chetak variants to secure the capital's airspace.

The IAF had also made contingency plans for rapid
movement of troops in case such a need arose in Delhi.

Air defence guns were also deployed on top of high-rise
buildings such as the services headquarters to tackle any
aerial threat, the sources added. PTI