THE INDIAN AIR FORCE AIMS AT BEING 'FUTURE READY' THROUGH THE STEPS OF 'NOW READY' - IAF CHIEF

Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 21 Dec 1984, AP SINGH PVSM AVSM took over as the 28th Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) on 30th September 2024. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot with more than 5000 hours of service flying on a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

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His operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of a MiG-27 Sqn and Air Officer Commanding of a frontline air base. As a test pilot, he led the MiG-29 Upgrade Project Management Team in Moscow, Russia. He was also the Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, looking after the flight testing of Tejas. He has held staff appointments of Air Defence Commander at HQ South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Eastern Air Command. He then took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command. Before taking over as the 28th Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Officer held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Air Staff.

While acknowledging that the IAF faces many challenges at a time when the character of warfare is evolving, he assured in an exclusive interview with PRAKASH NANDA that India possesses a very credible and potent air force capable of giving a befitting response to any contingency. Excerpts from the interview:

With ageing aircraft, delayed modernisation programmes and shrinking squadrons, what is the state of the IAF's operational readiness under your leadership, particularly against China and Pakistan?

I have been asked this question on numerous occasions. I have made it clear that there are no immediate or overnight solutions to this complex problem. The Indian Govt and IAF are working in close quarters to resolve this very challenge.

Acquire: From an Acquisition perspective, we have processed certain cases, which include:

The contract for the procurement of 83 LCA Mk-IA, followed by another 97 LCA Mk-IA, shall give IAF a major boost.

Procurement of additional Su30 MKI along with associated equipment.

IAF has processed a case for the procurement of Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA), which is being progressed as per the provisions of DAP-2020.