The Indian armed forces form an important component in projecting the Government of India’s foreign policy on the world stage. India has always projected and cultivated a well-rounded relationship with its neighbours as well as with countries beyond the region, increasingly the armed forces of India have and will in the future contribute to this holistic out reach.

… Indian airpower has almost continuously been involved in less-than-war and low-intensity or limited conflicts … military helicopter and transport aircraft fleets have put in yeomen service over decades towards this and continue to do so … the Air Force must prepare officers today for the managerial and executive tasks to manage not only people but also ideas and concepts on a broad basis …

… the first step in looking at future threat scenarios is posing some uncomfortable but right questions .. these affect all agencies that contribute in a whole-of-nation approach to conflict management .. An over-investment in current doctrines, concepts and platforms today may close the windows to adapt to future revolutionary changes in the coming decades .. It demands agile, curious, creative and questioning minds to gauze ahead and build adaptive capabilities ...

India is one of the largest importers of defence equipment in the world. Compelled by the need of modernise its armed forces, India will be importing billions of dollars worth of equipment in the next ten years. The growing dependence on imported defence equipment and technologies not only places heavy burden on financial resources, it also impacts national security adversely. There is an urgent need for accelerating the tempo of indigenisation of defence production.