While claiming India is central to peace, stability and security in the region, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria maintained that the country needs to strengthen mutual understanding and existing security frameworks based on the principles of cooperation, collaboration and coexistence.
Speaking at the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Conclave in the Aero India, Bhadauria said, "For India, our security challenges are as varied as our geography and as unpredictable as our threats." He was addressing participants from over two dozen countries. He added that being in the thick of operations often, and currently round the clock, the Indian armed forces have gained a wealth of experience and expertise over the years, which can be of mutual interest.
"We have witnessed a paradigm change in the geo-political landscape in the recent years, and globally, we are facing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, volatility and interconnected threats," the IAF chief said.
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He told the audience that while the world was grappling with complications and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, the "worsening interstate relations, rising mistrust" and geopolitical tensions have only reinforced the importance of mature and balanced cooperation at international level.
“Indian Air Force has built bridges of friendship through numerous bilateral and multilateral exercises with a large number of nations who share common values and interests in maintaining peace and stability.”
Talking about the importance of joint military exercises, he said they have not only helped India share the best practices, but have also created an environment of trust and ability to operate together in times of distress.
"Conclaves like these provide an excellent opportunity to discuss the security challenges, current and emerging, and mutually establish measures to enhance cooperation between our Air Forces," Bhadauria said.
The topics for this conclave have been chosen based on the technological advances, changing threat matrix and evolution of air power.
Addressing the gathering, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that recent conflicts have shown the potency of the emerging technologies and India is heavily focused on building these capabilities.
"We are keen to cooperate with our defence partners in these niche technologies with focus on knowledge sharing and co-production," he said, adding that the CAS Conclave brings together senior dignitaries from air forces around the world.
Bhadauria said that the low cost and easy availability of simple disruptive technology like drones with small state and non-state actors have made them more lethal, agile and capable of generating disproportionate effects.
He said the attack on Aramco oil refinery with armed drones, new drone technologies in the Syrian conflict and massed usage of Unmanned Aircraft System and loitering munitions in Armenia-Azerbaijan highlight the changing nature of modern warfare. The IAF chief said that India is closely observing these developments and is focusing on developing capabilities in unmanned, and optionally manned platforms, manned-unmanned teaming, and anti-drone technologies.
