India has put on full readiness three ships and a maritime surveillance aircraft for assistance in the search operation of the AirAsia flight that has gone missing en route from Indonesia to Singapore.
Sources in the Indian Navy said that one ship in Bay of Bengal and two in Andaman Sea have been put on standby. Along with these, a P-8I aircraft has also been kept ready. The aircraft is used for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare operations.
While officials said that no request from Indonesia has come to India so far but the assets have been put on standby in view of the gravity of situation and will be rushed into service whenever an order is issued. The Indian Navy had in March this year had pressed its vessels into search operations for the missing Malaysian Airlines MH 370.