OREANDA-NEWS. May 19, 2015. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) has proceeded on a four day visit to the United States of America, today. The IAF Chief is visiting USA on the invitation of General Mark A. Welsh III, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

During the visit, Air Chief Marshal Raha is scheduled to hold talks with senior military leadership and discuss a wide range of bilateral issues on the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries. While at Washington, the Air Chief will also call on the Indian Ambassador H.E. Shri Arun Singh.

The itinerary also includes a conducted tour of airbases under Special Ops Command and a visit to the Combined Air Operations Centre at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada where he would be briefed on IAF participation in multi-lateral Air Exercises.

In recent years, there have been close and frequent contacts at political and military levels between the two countries. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha’s visit to the US would further boost bilateral relations between the two Air Forces and is likely to provide greater convergence at the operational level.