Seen through geo-strategic prism, India is central to peace, stability and security in this region: IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria

Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Wednesday stated that in the coming decade, the Indian air space sector can become a significant player in the overall global air space supply chain. Speaking at the Aero India 2021 in Bengaluru, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said, "Seen through the geo-strategic prism, India is central to the peace, stability and security in this region."

The IAF Chief also said, "Today we have this seamless air space surveillance capability across the entire air space and this has been done indigenously with our own industry."

He added, "India and the IAF are conscious of responsibility shared with our friends and partners in responding to calls for assistance in wake of natural disasters and calamities. IAF with its potent strategic airlift capability has been at forefront of HADR missions in this region."

To build indigenous capability, the government has introduced multiple reforms and policy changes which encourage partners to collaborate on creating next-generation technologies and platforms under make in India program, added the IAF Chief.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India is vigilant in the face of attempts to change status quo at its border and prepared to defeat any misadventures to defend its territorial integrity, amid the continued military standoff with China. "We have long witnessed unfortunate attempts to employ force to change the status quo at our unresolved borders", he said at the inaugural ceremony of Aero India-2021, the country's premier Defence and aerospace show, at Yelahanka Air Force Station.

"India is vigilant and prepared to counter and defeat any misadventures to defend our people and territorial integrity at all costs," the Minister asserted. China and India are locked in a military standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5 last. The two countries have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the face-off, but no significant headway has been made so far.

Dubbed as Asia's largest military aviation exhibition, the three-day Aero India event commenced amid the COVID-19 pandemic with a buzz around "Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) and "Make in India" push. With a combination of both physical and virtual exhibition, the 13th edition of the biennial international event is said to be the world's first hybrid aerospace show.