India upgrading base close to China

NEW DELHI—India is developing state-of-the art infrastructure in Bareilly, north of India to station its latest aircraft to counter threats, especially from China. Media reports quoting Chief Administrative officer of the base Group Captain P V Gadgil while talking to visiting mediapersons said “Bareilly is strategically located and we are in the process of converting it into a major hub for the Su-30MKIs,
A modern avionics Lab and the biggest modern tech flight hangar are being developed at the base to keep the Sukhois and other allied equipment for its servicing.
Quoting another official, the report said the “multi-role Sukhoi fighters, which have a cruising speed range of 3,200 km coupled with advanced beyond-visual range combat capabilities, are capable of striking deep inside China.”
Another senior officer said the base was strategically very important as “after the Chinese aggression in 1962, it was realised that the area was left out without having any credible air defence capability.” Our army is in the hills now after that aggression. We had to deploy the army more or less continuously and if there is war, somebody has to support the army, whether it’s close air support by fighter aircraft or by helicopters.—Agencies