Referring to the “volatile situation” on the borders, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday told the IAF brass that the armed forces must be prepared to respond at a “short notice for any contingency” while IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal (ACM) V.R. Chaudhari emphasised on development of multi-domain capability to give a “swift and befitting response” to any misadventures by adversaries.
“The role of IAF in conflicts is crucial and it needs to harness the capabilities and opportunities offered by AI, Big Data Handling and Machine Learning,” Mr. Singh said at the second bi-annual IAF Commanders’ Conference being held from November 10 to 12. “The efforts in the field of indigenisation through ‘Make in India’ initiative are showing results and the orders of LCA Mk 1A and C-295 will open new opportunities in the indigenous aerospace sector.”
On the process of theaterisation of the armed forces, Mr. Singh said enhancing jointness is essential and the structure should be evolved after closely examining options. Inputs from all stakeholders would be taken into consideration, according to the Defence Ministry.
Complimenting the commanders for maintaining a high state of readiness despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, ACM Chaudhari emphasised on joint training with the Army and Navy for synergised application of combat power.
The commanders will brainstorm on situations which may affect national security and focus on measures to enhance operational capability, the statement said. “Uncertainty in the geo-political landscape makes it an imperative for the armed forces to train, equip and adapt to rapid changes.”
Issues pertaining to strengthening training and optimising HR policies for effective utilisation of manpower will also be discussed.
