Victory smiles upon those who anticipate changes in character of war: IAF chief

Chief of Air Staff V.R. Chaudhari said on Sunday that changes in the character of warfare should be embraced.

Quoting Guilio Douhet, the IAF chief said, "We must embrace changes in the character of warfare because in the words of Guilio Douhet, 'Victory smiles upon those who anticipate the changes in the character of war, not upon those who wait to adapt themselves after the change occurs'.”

The Indian Air Force (IAF) unveiled their new flag on Sunday aiming to better align with the values of its air warriors during the annual day parade at Air Force Station Bamrauli, in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj.

On this occasion Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari said that if India is on the path to become a developed nation by 2047, then IAF must be one of the best, if not the best, by the time we complete 100 years in 2032.

"The vision, as laid down in our doctrine, is to be an agile and adaptable air force that provides decisive aerospace power in furtherance of our national interests. In order to make our vision a reality, we must all play our respective parts diligently. We must reform, or become a relic; we must innovate, else become mundane and we must transform, else become irrelevant. 

"We must invest in cutting edge research, development and acquisition to build technological superiority. Innovation must become a part of our DNA, enabling us to easily adapt to emerging threats and challenges."

He said that from multi-domain operations to hybrid warfare, the Air Force needs to recognise that modern warfare transcends traditional boundaries.

"We must seamlessly integrate air, space, cyber and ground capabilities to dominate the battle-space. The question we must ask ourselves is, what more can I do. Do not limit yourselves to the needs of today. Think beyond today and you will realise that there is so much more to be done," the air chief said.

On the occasion of Air Force Day, he said, "On behalf of all Air Warriors, I would like to pay homage to our braves, who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. We have successfully inducted the first batch of Agniveers and subsequent batches, including women Agniveers, are presently undergoing basic training," he added.

The theme for this year’s Air Force Day is IAF- Air Power Beyond Boundaries. The theme aptly reflects the inherent global reach of air power and how air power will prove decisive in future conflicts. Air Force operations extend worldwide, providing rapid mobility and global reach. This reach allows a nation to project air power beyond boundaries in the form of rapid deployment, HADR and peacekeeping missions.  

The IAF chief said, "A word about leadership. Ethical leadership should be the cornerstone of our organisation. We must lead by example and uphold our core values of mission, integrity and excellence in all that we do. My vision is one of strength, adaptability and unwavering commitment to our nation and its people. Together, as a united force, we will successfully face all challenges, secure in the knowledge that our values and dedication will guide us to ever greater heights in the years to come. To quote a verse from the Bhagvad Gita, 'Veerta, Kirti, Dreedhta, Kaushal, udaarta, yudh mein sthirta  aur  shaasan karne ki  kshamta - ye ek sainik ka kartavya hain. Ve uske apne swabhav se pravaahit hote hain'."

He said, "The world is changing at a rapid pace and we must meet all new challenges coming our way. We must continue to foster a culture of discipline, integrity and remain ever vigilant in the face of emerging threats. Our commitment to the defence of our nation remains steadfast and we will continue to protect our territory, deter potential adversaries and ensure the safety and security of our people. Indian Air Force is not just a military force, it is a symbol of our nation’s collective strength and determination," he added.