Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh emphasized the need for international technology partnerships to bolster India's military capabilities by 2047. Speaking at a seminar, he highlighted balancing indigenization with immediate defence needs amid regional threats.
India's Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, stated on Wednesday at the 22nd Subroto Mukerjee seminar on national security imperatives that bridging the technology gap is essential to achieve the national goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. He noted that India possesses the mindset and human capital to build a strong military but lacks technology, which can be addressed through strategic partnerships with other countries.
"While supporting the research and development efforts towards indigenisation and ‘atmanirbharta’ (self-reliance), we need to decide on investing in some other Make in India programmes so that we get the technology and the weapons and platforms that we need in the near future," Singh said. He stressed the need to manage immediate requirements by joining hands with other nations for next-generation weapons development.
He mentioned a forthcoming joint project between French firm Safran and India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a DRDO lab, to develop a 120-kilonewton thrust engine for the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The project will produce nine prototypes over 12 years with 100% transfer of technology and intellectual property rights to India.
In the context of regional instability, Singh underscored the necessity of a strong air force, citing Operation Sindoor, a four-day military confrontation between India and Pakistan in early May following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. "Whether it was dealing a blow to the terrorists and their infrastructure or attacking multiple bases in Pakistan in a matter of few hours to send a signal that enough is enough, it was airpower which did the trick," he said. The operation began on May 7 and ended with a ceasefire on May 10, involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery.
Singh asserted that military power is the ultimate arbiter of national power, and the will to use it is equally vital.
