Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh during his address at the Air and Missile Defence India 2024 Seminar and Exhibition. (Photo via X)
New Delhi: India’s push for “atmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in the defence sector must not compromise national security, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, vice-chief of the Indian Air Force, has warned. In his address at a seminar in New Delhi, on Friday, AM Singh emphasized the critical role of the domestic industry in achieving self-sufficiency but cautioned that the nation’s defences cannot be jeopardized in the process.
Speaking at Air and Missile Defence India 2024 Seminar and Exhibition, organized by Centre for Air Power Studies, Indian Military Review, and Ernst & Young, he said, “The biggest lesson that we have learned from today’s geopolitics is to be self-reliant. Like they say, there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend … they all have permanent interests.”
The air marshal then added, “So, ‘atmanirbharta’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) that we have been talking about are not just a buzzword. It is something that we need to put our heart and soul into and make sure that these technologies that we are talking about, the weapons that we are talking about of the future are all developed and manufactured in India so that we are not relying on an outside agency who could change its alliance, who could stop the flow of weapons to our country and put us on the mat when the time comes.”
However, he underscored that the nation’s defence remains paramount by highlighting the rapid pace at which India’s adversaries are developing military capabilities and emphasized on the need for the country to maintain a technological edge.
“Atmanirbharta is what we are riding on,” the IAF vice-chief said, “but it cannot be at the cost of our national security.”
AM Singh, however, acknowledged that there might be compelling reasons to deviate from the self-reliance path to strengthen key capabilities. For that, the IAF vice-chief called for greater innovation and collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), public sector undertakings, and private industry to develop cutting-edge technologies and boost domestic defence manufacturing. He emphasised the importance of speed and efficiency in the development and production of military equipment to meet the Indian Air Force’s evolving requirements.
He then added, “If the Indian Air Force or [other] Indian forces have to ride on this atmanirbharta, it is only possible if everyone – from the DRDO to the defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) to private industry – hold the hand and don’t let us deviate from that path.”
The air marshal’s remarks come amid the government’s concerted efforts to reduce India’s reliance on foreign defence imports and put its weight behind achieving full self-reliance in defence even as the IAF is operating with critically low number of fighter aircraft and other defence platforms.
