Rajnath Singh calls for more efficient military capability building

Rajnath Singh expressed confidence in the IAF’s ability to adapt to evolving challenges and hailed the force for its dedication and professionalism

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked the Indian Air Force brass to explore ways to make the process of capability and capacity building of the force “more effective and efficient” in keeping with the country’s aims and aspirations.

The top IAF meeting took place at a time when the IAF is aggressively modernising its capabilities with locally produced military hardware (X/@rajnathsingh)

Addressing the Air Force Commanders’ conference at the Air Headquarters here, Singh expressed confidence in the IAF’s ability to adapt to evolving challenges and hailed the force for its dedication and professionalism in safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty.

Singh was briefed on the operational capabilities of the IAF.

“This conference serves as a vital platform for the IAF’s senior leadership to deliberate on current challenges and strategize future actions to maintain operational excellence and Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence capabilities,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

The top meeting took place at a time when the IAF is aggressively modernising its capabilities with locally produced military hardware and the armed forces are charting a path towards theaterisation, a long-awaited reform for the best use of the military’s resources to fight future wars.

This is the first Air Force Commanders’ conference after IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh took charge of the air force on September 30.

It was attended by the chief of defence staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh who took charge on November 1, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Samir V Kamat, and secretary (defence production) Sanjay Kumar.

The conference witnessed in-depth discussions on key operational, administrative, and strategic issues, the statement said.

It also took place at a time when the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Mk-1A) programme is delayed and the IAF was concerned about the possible risks this could pose to its combat effectiveness.

The issue has been flagged to the manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautic Limited (HAL), which has been nudged to execute the ₹48,000-crore contract for 83 fighters on time, by 2028-29. Also, the defence ministry could award HAL a contract for 97 more LCA Mk-1As worth ₹67,000 crore by the year-end.

Many in the air force are sceptical about the LCA Mk-1A deadlines being met, and one of the main reasons for that is the lingering delay in the supply of the F404 engines to HAL by US firm GE Aerospace.

The single-engine Mk-1A will be a replacement for the IAF’s Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter.

Other key IAF modernisation programmes in the works include the Sukhoi-30 upgrade by HAL at a cost of around ₹65,000 crore and the induction of more Prachand light combat helicopters.

Shortly after taking over, Air Chief Marshal Singh said HAL, which has struggled to deliver the LCA Mk-1A on time, must stick to its promise of producing 24 jets every year to offset the delay, while stressing that lessons learnt should guide critical future projects, including the LCA Mk-2 and the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), a stealth fighter.

In his first press briefing as IAF chief in October, Singh also said China was ahead of India in technology and production rates – areas where the country needs to catch up fast, called for ramping up indigenous manufacturing capacity, and articulated the air force’s vision of deploying locally produced weapons and systems by 2047.