Speaking at the Chanakya Dialogues conclave, Singh said that the capacities cannot be built overnight. However, he added that it is necessary to push oneself towards achieving the target.
“HAL has committed to delivering 24 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MK1A per year from next year, along with some Sukhoi or other aircraft, bringing the total to nearly 30 annually,” the IAF Chief said.
Air Chief Marshal Singh also urged the private sector to get involved in defence manufacturing under Make in India, stated the PTI report. He proposed an additional 12-18 aircraft be manufactured annually through private industry partnerships.
He added that with such inputs, India can achieve the target of 40 aircraft and it is essential to sustain combat preparedness.
IAF chief says homegrown systems will be prioritised
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh further stated that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is committed to prioritising homegrown systems even if they deliver marginally lower performance than foreign alternatives. He said that IAF’s first preference, while acquiring new systems, has always been for domestically produced technology.
He expressed his conviction that even if a homegrown system gives 85% to 90% of the performance in comparison to foreign systems, IAF will opt for it, according to PTI.
This is the only way to break the IAF’s reliance on foreign manufacturers, he remarked.
However, he admitted that indigenous defence manufacturing cannot be created overnight and needs consistent support. To attain self-sufficiency, the IAF is dedicated to supporting research and development (R&D) efforts.
Push for self-reliance
Highlighting the strategic significance of local defence manufacturing, Singh said that India needs to be ready for long-drawn wars.
“We have to adopt a rate of production that gives us a regular flow of arms during extended combat,” he was quoted in the PTI report.
In this kind of situation, India would have to rely on a combination of current reserves and faith in domestic industry to boost supply.
AI and automation in the IAF
Referring to technological developments, Singh pointed out the IAF’s quick embracement of artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and automation. He, as per PTI, said that they were already moving swiftly with automation and said various systems like maintenance prognosis and operations are now automated. He said this has improved efficiency dramatically and minimised downtime.
At Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru, Singh had voiced strong discontent with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the delay in handing over the Tejas fighter aircraft. He condemned their lethargy and insisted that a ‘ho jayega’ attitude would not work.
Responding, HAL Chairman and MD DK Sunil recognised the fears, laying the delays to technical difficulties instead of sloppiness and promised that deliveries would begin soon, stated reports.
The 15th iteration of Aero India, Asia’s biggest air show, is held from February 10-14 with more than 900 participants, 150 of them international companies, and the final two days are for public access.
