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NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
A Salman Khan Dialogue Mention As Air Chief Flags Defence Delivery Delays
New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Thursday flagged serious concerns over inordinate delays in various defence acquisition projects and failure to stick to delivery schedules for supply of key platforms even as he hailed Operation Sindoor as a "national victory". In his first public comments following the four-day military clashes between India and Pakistan, the Air Chief Marshal said that "not a single project" has been completed on time and that the armed forces have refrained from calling "black sheep as black sheep". In his remarks at the CII Business Summit, he, however, did not provide specific details of the projects or made a reference of the period since when delays have been impacting the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IAF chief also referred to dialogues from Salman Khan-starrer movie 'Wanted': "Ek baar jo humne commit kiya hai, fir mai apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta (Once we commit to something, then I don't even to listen to myself after that), to emphasise that commitments made to the armed forces on defence projects have to be adhered to. Air Chief Marshal Singh, known for his plain speaking, suggested that the IAF was largely looking "outward" for its procurement over around a decade back but that approached changes and it started looking inward for opportunities within India after a "rap on our knuckle". He emphasised that the current geopolitical situation has "made us realise that Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) is the only solution". The Chief of Air Staff said the Operation Sindoor has given the Indian armed forces a "clear idea" of where "we are headed and what we need in the future". Lauding the armed forces as well as all agencies concerned for the success of Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal Singh said: "We were taking the path of truth, I think, God was with us also in this." Under Operation Sindoor, the IAF played the leading role in destroying nine terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir early on May 7 under Operation Sindoor, in response to the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack. All subsequent retaliations to Pakistani offensives were carried out under this operation. In his address, the IAF chief lamented the delays in implementation of defence projects. The IAF has been upset over huge delays by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in the delivery of Tejas light combat jets. "Timelines is a big issue; that is where the 'vachan' (commitment) part comes in. Once a timeline is given.. not a single project that I can think of, has been completed on time," he said. "So, this is something where we have to look in, why should we promise something which cannot be achieved." "While signing the contract itself, sometimes, we are sure that it is not going to come up. But, we just sign the contract and see what can be done after that.. obviously then the process gets vitiated," he said. On Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal Singh said "this war was won by a whole-of-nation approach", and the same approach needs to continue while talking about empowering the defence forces. "Actually, it is not just a whole-of-nation approach, we have to be in a whole-of-nation mission mode, if I can call it, to make sure that we accelerate and produce results," he said, in an apparent reference to military modernisation. Air Chief Marshal Singh began his address by terming the Operation Sindoor a "national victory". "We were taking the path of truth, I think, God was with us also in this," he said. "I am sure, every Indian contributed towards this victory. Like it has been said again and again that this was an operation which was executed in a very professional manner by everybody -- all the agencies, all the forces, we all came when truth is with you, then everything happens on its own," he said. "We were taking the path of truth, I think, God was with us also in this," he added. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi also addressed the gathering. "This Operation Sindoor, as told by the Navy chief that the character of war is changing, every day we find new technologies coming in, technologies coming in a big way in warfare. "And, Operation Sindoor has again given us a clear idea of where we are headed and what we need in future. So, a lot of work needs to be done, realigning our own thought processes also, which is also going on," he said. The IAF chief also spoke of the recent clearance given by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the "execution model" to design and produce India's ambitious fifth-generation stealth fighter jet -- the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA). The "execution model" approach provides equal opportunities to both private and public sectors on a competitive basis, the ministry said on May 27. "The fact that AMCA -- Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, I am not calling it what generation, because finally when it comes out, it should be of contemporary generation, but AMCA has been cleared for participation even by the private industry, which is a very big step." "And, that is the kind of confidence, I think, the nation has in private industry too. And, I am sure this is going to pave our way to bigger things coming in the future," the IAF chief said. Air Chief Marshal Singh, without going into numbers, said his force is trying its best to do the maximum possible as far as the 'Make in India' initiative is concerned. While talking about restraint, he said "even defence forces have been keeping this restraint of not calling 'a black sheep a black sheep'. He, however, did not elaborate. "Some of the rules that the government made.. I am not saying that we would have come on this path on our own. There were times, when we were always doubting the Indian industry that it can give us the kind of return that we want, it cannot give us the product that we want, and we were looking outward," he said. "But, over the last decade plus, things have changed quite a bit, a rap on our knuckle, has made us think inward, look inward, and then we realised that yes, there are a lot of opportunities that we have, within India," the IAF chief said. He emphasised that the current situation in the world has "made us realise that Atmanirbharta is the only solution". "But, we have to be ready now to be future-ready," the IAF chief asserted. "So that is the concern, that yes I can look at the next 10 years, we can have certain more output from the DRDO, but what is required today is required today. So, we need to quickly get our act together-- maybe get into some quick Make in India programmes, so we can achieve that now ready part of it, while design in India continues to produce results in the near future or maybe later," he said. The IAF chief pitched for boosting trust between the armed forces and the industry. "We need to have the communication continued, to be open with each other, we need to be very open and forthright with each other, so this relationship doesn't break down anywhere," he said. "Trust for defence forces, it is intrinsic, our default setting is trust... When we join any force, any group of people, any squadron, it (trust) is not built over a period of time, it comes in the first sortie, the very first mission that you fly, you have to trust each other... one mistake can cause a failure. In the context of a nation, he likened the armed forces, the industry, the DRDO and other stakeholders as "links" in a "bigger chain", and said, each one will "have to ensure that we are not a weak link, because of which this chain will break".
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Goyal to lead business delegations to Europe, says FTA talks with US, EU well on track
New Delhi: India is stepping up its international trade efforts with commerce minister Piyush Goyal set to lead high-level business delegations to France and Italy next week. The outreach comes amid growing global interest in India's market and its role in global supply chains, with several countries together committing over $100 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country. Goyal, after attending some key meetings in Paris, will travel to Italy with an industry delegation to deepen trade and investment ties. A separate Indian business delegation is also expected to visit Switzerland around the same time. These visits reflect India's expanding engagement with countries under its free trade agreement (FTA) strategy. 'We have launched FTA talks with New Zealand, and just yesterday the New Zealand trade minister sent me a message looking forward to meeting in Paris next week,' Goyal said while speaking at the CII Business Summit on Thursday. India has already concluded FTAs with the UAE and Australia, while negotiations with the UK have been completed and the deal is now in the process of being signed after final legal scrutiny, which is expected to take another 3–4 months. A free trade agreement was also signed in March last year with the four EFTA countries—Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. As part of this agreement, they have pledged long-term investment of $100 billion into India alongside their trade commitments. 'The $100 billion investment committed through the FDI route over the next 15 years is expected to catalyze nearly $500 billion in total investment when factoring in partner contributions and related inflows," the minister said. India's bilateral trade agreement with the US is also nearing the final stage, and the minister said that it remains 'well on track.' Additionally, FTA discussions with the 27-nation European Union are making steady progress. The series of negotiations signals a broader effort by India to position itself as a trusted, rules-based trading partner at a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain disruptions. With India's economy projected to be among the top drivers of global growth in the coming decades, the government is aiming to use trade deals not only to expand market access for its exports but also to attract deeper investments and technology transfers.
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
POK our own, day not far when its people will return to India: Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) are part of India's "own family" and expressed confidence that the day is not far when they will voluntarily return to the Indian mainstream, guided by their inner at the CII Business Summit, Singh said India remains committed to the vision of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat', and believes that those separated by geography and politics will one day reunite with the country with dignity and an emotional parallel, Singh likened the current situation in POK to that of Shakti Singh, the younger brother of Maharana Pratap, noting that India's faith in its brothers and sisters across the Line of Control remains unwavering. "Even after separation, the confidence and faith of the elder brother towards his younger brother remains intact," he Singh said that the majority of people in POK feel a deep cultural and emotional connection with India, asserting that only a handful have been misled. He said India's path has always been one of unity, truth, and love, and expressed hope that POK will one day declare, "I am India, I have returned."Laying out New Delhi's broader policy stance towards Pakistan, the defence minister said that any future dialogue with Islamabad would only focus on two issues: terrorism and has redesigned and redefined its response to terrorism. The business of terrorism is not cost effective-it comes at a heavy price, as Pakistan has come to realise," he comments came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a recent statement, urged the youth of Pakistan to rise and liberate their nation from the "disease of terrorism".Rajnath Singh also used the platform to highlight the critical role of the 'Make-in-India' initiative in strengthening India's national security. Citing the success of Operation Sindoor, he said that the use of indigenous weapons systems allowed Indian forces to precisely strike terrorist hideouts and military installations."We could have done much more, but we chose a powerful blend of strength and restraint," he Defence Minister echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent address to the nation, in which the Prime Minister made his first remarks following India's targeted strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and POK under Operation Sindoor. The strikes were carried out in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam."Terror and talks cannot happen at the same time. Terror and trade cannot take place. Blood and water cannot flow together. I want to tell the international community that if there will be talks between India and Pakistan, it will only be on terrorism and POK," he had Singh noted the remarkable growth of India's defence exports, which have surged from under Rs 1,000 crore a decade ago to a record Rs 23,500 crore today. Singh described domestic defence manufacturing as not just a pillar of national security but also a driver of economic Singh also outlined India's ambition to develop next-generation warfare capabilities. He announced that the Defence Ministry has cleared the execution model for building the country's first fifth-generation stealth fighter jet-the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).For the first time, the project will allow both public and private sector participation, with plans to develop five prototypes before moving to full-scale production. He hailed the AMCA initiative as a landmark moment in India's defence history and a major milestone in the 'Make-in-India' InMust Watch
The Print
3 days ago
- Business
- The Print
People of PoK part of Indian family, day not far when they will return to India: Rajnath
In an address at the CII Business Summit, he said 'Make-in-India' in the defence sector has been an essential component in the country's national security and it played a key role in India's effective action against terrorism during Operation Sindoor. Laying out India's policy approach towards Pakistan, Singh said New Delhi has 'redesigned and redefined' its strategy and response to terrorism and that possible dialogue with Islamabad will be only on terrorism and PoK. New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) People of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are part of India's 'own family' and the day is not far when they will return to the Indian mainstream by listening to their inner voice, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. In the remarks, Singh appeared to be largely attempting to reach out to people of PoK saying India considers them to be part of its 'own' family and exuded confidence that they will return voluntarily. 'I believe that the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) are our own, part of our family,' he said. 'We are committed to the resolution of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' (One India, Best India) and we have full faith that those of our brothers who are geographically and politically separated from us today, will also return to the mainstream of India someday or the other with self-respect, listening to their voice of soul,' he said. Most of the people there feel a deep connection with India, there are only a few who have been misled, he said. The defence minister said the unification of the PoK with India depends on 'the cultural, social and economic prosperity of this country'. He said most of the people in PoK feel a 'deep connection' with India and only a few of them have been 'misled'. 'The situation of our brothers and sisters living in PoK is similar to that of Shakti Singh, the younger brother of brave warrior Maharana Pratap.' 'Even after separation, the confidence and faith of the elder brother towards his younger brother remains intact,' Singh said. 'India always talks about connecting hearts, and we believe that by walking on the path of love, unity and truth, the day is not far when our own part, PoK, will return and say, I am India, I have returned,' he said. In a clear message to Pakistan, Singh also said the business of terrorism is not cost effective and it will come with a heavy price as Islamabad has realised now. His comments came three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it is for the youth of Pakistan to step forward and 'free Pakistan from the disease of terrorism'. The defence minister described 'Make-in-India' as crucial for national security and prosperity, stating that the use of indigenous systems during Operation Sindoor has proved that India has the power to penetrate any armour of the enemy. 'We destroyed the terrorist hideouts and then the military bases. We could have done a lot more, but we presented a great example of coordination of power and restraint,' he said. In his remarks, Singh also highlighted India's domestic defence capabilities. India's defence export was less than Rs 1000 crore 10 years ago but it has now reached a record figure of Rs 23,500 crore, he said. Today, it has been proven that Make-in-India in defence is essential for both India's security and prosperity, he said. Today, we are not just building fighter jets or missile systems and we are also preparing for new-age warfare technology, he said. Singh also spoke about India's ambitious plan to build a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet — the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA). The defence ministry this week cleared the 'execution model' to design and produce the aircraft. Singh emphasised that through the AMCA 'execution model', the private sector will get an opportunity to participate in the project along with public sector companies for the first time. 'Under the AMCA project, the plan is to develop five prototypes, which will be followed by series production. It is a key milepost in the history of the Make-in-India programme,' he said. PTI MPB ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Operation Sindoor national victory, think God was with us too: IAF chief
NEW DELHI: IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on Thursday hailed Operation Sindoor as a "national victory", and said all the Indian forces came together to execute it in a very professional manner. In his address at the CII Business Summit here, he also said, "We were taking the path of truth, I think, God was with us also in this." "This Operation Sindoor that we've been talking about, it's a national victory. I thank each and every Indian. I am sure, every Indian wanted... was looking towards this victory," the IAF chief said. "Like it has been said again and again that this was an operation that was executed in a very professional manner by everybody, all the agencies, all the forces, we all came together... and when truth is with you, then everything happens on its own," he said. Operation Sindoor was launched early May 7 in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. All subsequent retaliations to Pakistani offensives were carried out under this operation.
