New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said that the Air Force has moved its focus from being platform-centric to capability-centric, heading towards integration of various components, which he said proved its worth during Operation Sindoor.
Speaking at an event marking the eve of the IAF's 94th anniversary at the Air Force Auditorium in Subroto Park, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh noted that the developments were a result of fast-track procurements.
He said, "We have seen that in the last few years the focus of the Air Force has changed from platform-centric to capability-centric and also towards integration of various components, and it has come in handy. It has really proved its worth during Operation Sindoor...we've been able to prove that we were in the right direction, and many of these things were a result of recent fast-track procurements. The fact that air power has been and is going to be the mainstay of any offensive action, I think we've been able to prove that well, and I'm happy to say that we are progressing in the right direction."
India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. The Air Force's air defence proved pivotal in protecting Indian airspace during retaliatory drone and UAV attacks from across the border.
The indigenously developed Akash surface-to-air missile system and legacy platforms like the Pechora and OSA-AK were deployed effectively in a layered defence grid.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force chief also hailed inter-nation defence exercises, highlighting that for the first time F-35s participated in an exercise in India during Tarang Shakti in Jodhpur.
"In the last year, we have flown alongside Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia, France, Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, and many other partners. And currently, while we sit here, the second edition of Tarang Shakti is going on in Jodhpur, where we have a total of 41 countries taking part, out of which seven are with assets and the remaining are with their observers. This is the first time we have a component of F-35s that have come to India to exercise with us in this environment,” he said.
Earlier this month, the skies over Jodhpur witnessed the roar of US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jets as the advanced stealth aircraft took off for joint training operations during Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, underscoring the growing scale of multinational air operations being conducted alongside the Indian Air Force.
The F-35As, assigned to the US Air Force's 13th Fighter Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, are participating in the operational phase of the multilateral exercise, which brings together air forces from seven Friendly Foreign Countries under the theme "Power in Partnership". (ANI)
"Focus changed from platform-centric to capability-centric, proved its worth during Op Sindoor": Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh
