BENGALURU: Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, said while the 20th century was characterised by air power and dominance, the 21st century will witness the emergence of India as an ‘aerospace power’.
He was speaking at the Air Chief Marshal L M Katre Memorial Lecture, organised by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Air Force Association of Karnataka and the Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) here on Saturday. India has volatile neighbours like China and Pakistan, he said and added that the Armed Forces should be in a position to tackle any type of threat.
“Cyber space, nuclear and electronic technology would play a critical role in determining the strengths of countries now and in the future. In this regard, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the HAL are more of conjoined twins and will cooperate to ensure India’s defence preparedness. Aerospace is the future and India has the capability to continuously degrade and demoralise its enemies,” he said.
However, constant research and development in the core areas was imperative and would help immensely in the long run, he added.
“The size and composition of any Army depends on two factors -- threat perception and national objectives. India has no interest in territorial conquests, but we have to ensure that the land taken away from us is reclaimed.
