'Cause For Worry': Air Force Chief On Pak-China Fighter Jet Collaboration
The Indian Air Force Chief expressed concern over delays in domestic fighter jet production and the strategic collaboration between Pakistan and China on fifth-generation aircraft. He emphasized the need for rapid induction of new jets to maintain national security.
Why it matters
The modernization of the Indian Air Force is critical for regional defense, especially given the shifting power dynamics between India, China, and Pakistan.
The inordinate delays in inducting new combat jets, including the Tejas aircraft, are hurting the Indian Air Force (IAF) in view of the depleting strength of its fighter squadrons at a time when air power is increasingly becoming crucial to deal with security challenges, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Saturday.Addressing a press conference ahead of the 94th Air Force Day, the IAF chief also said that the force requires induction of at least 36-40 fighter jets annually for the next few years to plug the gaps and hoped that the situation will improve with the induction of indigenously-built Tejas Mark-1A aircraft as well as Rafale combat jets to be procured under the multi-role fighter aircraft (MRFA) programme.Air Chief Marshal Singh also flagged concerns over Pakistan collaborating with China on a fifth-generation fighter jet."It is a cause for worry," he said, adding: "We do have…
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