Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the
two-day Air Force Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi on Thursday, said an
official statement from the Defence Ministry.
During the session, the Raksha Mantri was briefed on
the operational preparedness of the Indian Air Force (IAF) by Chief of the Air
Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.
In his address to the Commanders, Rajnath Singh
emphasised the need to enhance operational preparedness and highlighted the
importance of joint planning and execution of operations by the three services.
He urged the IAF commanders to examine the rapidly
changing global geo-political situation and assess them in the Indian context.
The Defence Minister pointed out that new trends have
emerged in the field of air warfare and there is a need to analyse and learn
from them to strengthen the defence preparedness.
He exhorted the IAF to focus on strengthening the air
defence systems; the use of drones and making headway in the field of aerospace
to protect India’s air domain.
“There are new challenges emanating from the global
security scenario. We must always be ready to deal with them,” he said.
Rajnath Singh praised the stellar role played by the
IAF during the recent Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
missions in Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and other flood-affected areas.
He also congratulated the IAF for successfully
organising the Air Force Day Parade and Air Display at Prayagraj, which was
well appreciated by the people. Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt and Chief
of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan were among those present on the occasion.
The conference, which is held bi-annually, involves
discussions on charting lAF’s way ahead, given the current geopolitical
environment and technological imperatives. Eminent national security experts
and accomplished personalities from various fields are invited to present their
views during the conference.
ANI
