25 october 2015, New Delhi. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chief of Indian Air Force and The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, leaves on a four-day official visit to Brazil from 25 October 2015. The visit is aimed at enhancing the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in defence related matters.Additionally, there are plans for the two countries to engage with each other on a wide array of issues under the aegis of the BRICS grouping.
As Chairman COSC, he would be visiting various establishments of the three Services of the Brazilian Armed Forces. His schedule includes visit to the Embraer Headquarters and the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology in Sao Paulo. The Air Chief would be meeting the Chiefs of Brazilian Army and Air Force during his stay at Brasilia. He would also interact with the Chief of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces and later the Defence Minister of Brazil, Mr Jose Aldo Rebelo Figueiredo.
At Manaus, he will visit the Centre for Jungle Warfare Training and the Amazon Military Command Headquarters where he would witness riverine operations by the Brazilian Navy and Marines in the Amazon river. A visit to the Integrated Air Defence and Air Traffic Control Center in Manaus is also on the cards. Towards the end of his tour, Air Chief Marshal Raha would be visiting the Superior War College at Rio De Janeiro which is the Brazilian equivalent of India’s National Defence College. Presently, the Indian Air Force operates the Embraer 135 in the communication role whilst the AEW&C platform for the indigenous AEW&C programme which is nearing completion uses the Embraer 145.
