NEW DELHI: IAF must keep adapting to evolving challenges while undertaking measures to make the process of capability and capacity-building more efficient and effective, defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.
Addressing IAF commanders' conference , Singh stressed the need for armed forces to focus on execution of projects in a time-bound manner to address operational challenges as well as long-term strategic planning in keeping with national aims and aspirations. The minister also called for more efficient utilisation of resources by enhancing 'jointness' and synergy among Army, Navy and IAF, ahead of the impending creation of tri-Service theatre commands for a more cost-effective integrated war-fighting machinery.
Air chief marshal A P Singh and his commanders briefed the minister on the operational capabilities of IAF, which continues to be forward deployed with aircraft, helicopters, surface-to-air missile systems and radars along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control with China.
Singh, incidentally, is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun, among other leaders, on the side-lines of Asean defence ministers' meeting-plus (ADMM-Plus) at Vientiane on November 20-22.
This comes shortly after Indian and Chinese troops disengaged at the two remaining face-off sites at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh and resumed "coordinated" patrolling in the two areas.
There is, of course, still a long way to go for India's demand for de-escalation and de-induction of the over 50,000 People's Liberation Army troops forward deployed in eastern Ladakh, with another 90,000 across Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern sector, to be accepted by China.
Indian armed forces have also just conducted a major 'Poorvi Prahar' exercise in the eastern theatre. A wide array of fighter jets, reconnaissance aircraft, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, weaponised Rudra choppers, M-777 ultra-light howitzers , Special Forces and infantry troops, among others, took part in the exercise.
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