New Delhi (NVI): Against the backdrop of Chinese aggression at Line of Actual Control, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today asked Indian Air Force (IAF) Commanders to draw up long term plans and strategies to capability enhancement to counter future threats.
During the biannual IAF Commanders’ Conference (AFCC-21) union minister also urged the IAF Commanders to continue their efforts to achieve greater results in the field of indigenous defence production and aircraft maintenance.
Singh was addressing the AFCC-21 at Air Headquarters on the occasion of birth anniversary of the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC.
Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria PVSM AVSM VM ADC Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and other senior officials from the MoD were present during the conference.
“The RM congratulated IAF for ensuring a timely and befitting response to the sudden developments in Eastern Ladakh. He advised the Commanders to draw up long term plans and strategies for capability enhancement to counter future threats. He appreciated the critical focus of IAF towards reorienting for the future,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
Speaking about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Singh appreciated the role played by the IAF in assisting other government agencies in their task.
Referring to changing international geopolitics, he observed that the perceptible shift of focus from Trans-Atlantic to Trans-Pacific has become more obvious in the recent past.
“Changing dimensions of war would now include advanced technologies, asymmetric capabilities and info-dominance, and it was very important that the IAF’s preparations for the future must include these aspects,” Union Minister observed.
Reiterating the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Self Reliance’, he stressed on the need to promote Atmanirbharta in Defence Infrastructure.
The ministry said, “He added that the IAF’s order for LCA would result in a substantial boost to the domestic defence industry and will be a game changer from the indigenisation perspective.”
“He urged the Commanders to continue their efforts for achieving even greater results in the field of indigenous defence production and aircraft maintenance. He added that national security and economic development are complementary aspects of national policy. The IAF’s support for the indigenous industry would result in the development of MSMEs in this field which will simultaneously serve the cause of self-reliance and socio-economic development of the country,” the ministry added.
Singh stressed on the need to continue to work proactively towards the integration process currently underway, implementation of the joint logistics plan and to enhance synergy in areas of joint planning and operations.
The Commanders’ Conference will conclude on April 16, 21.
The status of strengthening current combat capabilities and the action plan for making IAF a future-ready combat force would be examined and issues pertaining to systems, reforms and restructuring for ensuring more efficient processes across all domains and optimised operational training will also be discussed.
–PRT
