Summary:
Kolkata, Dec 8 (PTI) Former Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal (retd) Arup Raha said the untimely death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash on Wednesday is a loss for the armed forces and the whole country, and it will take some time to replace him.Gen Rawat, his wife and 11 others were killed in a Mi-17V5 chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
Raha, who was the Chief of Air Staff from December 31, 2013, to December 31, 2016, said the Mi-17V5 helicopters are very reliable machines but things can go wrong despite all the precautions.
"It is a sad occasion.
It"s a loss for the armed forces and the whole country," Raha told PTI.
He said it will take some time to get a new CDS in place of Gen Rawat who was the first to hold the job in India.
"It"s a new job, new task.