Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said the Air Force will conduct fly pasts from Srinagar to Thiruvananthapuram and another from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kutch in Gujarat on May 3 to express gratitude to all COVID-19 warriors. It will include both transport and fighter aircraft.
"On May 3, there are some special activities that the nation will get to witness from all the three Services," the CDS said in a press conference on Friday evening. He was accompanied by the three serving military chiefs -- Chief of the Indian Army General Manoj Mukund Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, and Indian Air Force chief R.K.S. Bhadauria.
IAF will also be showering petals on hospitals across the country which are involved in the fight against COVID-19.
"The Army on its part will conduct mounted band displays along some of the COVID-19 hospitals in almost every district of our country. To express solidarity that we stand by our police personnel, the armed forces will also lay wreaths at the police memorial on May 3," he added.
The Navy will be out on the seas displaying their formations. "You will witness some lighting of our ships on the seashores expressing solidarity and gratitude once again on our part." he said.
Army Chief General Manoj Naravane said there will be no let-up in counter-terrorist operations due to COVID-19. The terrorists killed in operations are handed over to civil administration and they do the needful.
There are no problems in dealing with Coronavirus in the Army. The first patient in the Army is cured and the jawan is back on duty. Army so far has had only 14 cases of which five have been cured and they have returned to work, he said.
IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria said, "We have enforced all the precautions and so far there is no COVID-19 case in the Air Force. But we will not lower our guard."
Gulf evacuations
On possible evacuations from Gulf region, the IAF chief said that transport aircraft are on standby. "We will undertake task when assigned."
"We have a large diaspora. Our ships are ready, we are fully ready. It can be a continuous process, bridge formation, said Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh on possible evacuation from Gulf.
LoC infiltrations
There has been an increase in numbers of people trying to cross the LoC and that is why the increase in the number of infiltration attempts, said General Naravane.
The plan of action and various activities of thanksgiving from the armed forces to COVID-19 warriors was finalised at the meeting earlier in the day presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with the CDS, three Service Chiefs and National Security Advisor (NSA), said the Ministry of Defence.
