Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the two-day Air Force Commanders' Conference in New Delhi on October 26, 2023. During the session, the Defence Minister was briefed on the operational preparedness of the Indian Air Force (IAF) by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari.

In his address to the Commanders, Rajnath Singh emphasised on the need to enhance operational preparedness and highlighted the importance of joint planning & execution of operations by the three services. He urged the IAF commanders to examine the rapidly changing global geo-political situation and assess them in the Indian context.

The Defence Minister pointed out that new trends have emerged in the field of air warfare and there is a need to analyse & learn from them to strengthen the defence preparedness. He exhorted the IAF to focus on strengthening the air defence systems; use of drones and making headway in the field of aerospace to protect India's air domain. "There are new challenges emanating from the global security scenario. We must always be ready to deal with them," he said.

Rajnath Singh praised the stellar role played by the IAF during the recent Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions in Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and other flood affected areas. He also congratulated the IAF for successfully organising the Air Force Day Parade and Air Display at Prayagraj, which was well appreciated by the people. Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan were among those present on the occasion.

The conference, which is held bi-annually, involves discussions on charting lAF's way ahead, given the current geo-political environment and technological imperatives. Eminent national security experts and accomplished personalities from various fields are invited to present their views during the conference.