The Hindu : No power projection: IAF chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 26, 2004

International

International

No power projection: IAF chief

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, FEB. 25. India is not engaged in projecting its military power on the wider international stage, according to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy.

Responding to questions at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing `Asian Aerospace 2004' — an exhibition and also an air show — he drew a distinction between India's military profile and that of the United States. India was ``very inward-looking, in the sense that we are focussed on our national defence.'' The U.S., in contrast, saw itself as a player with ``a global commitment'' and ``a global responsibility.'' He underlined that ``we are not in that domain.''

``We, as soldiers and airmen, do what we are asked to or have been directed to do. But, I don't believe that there is anything like power projection.

Basically, we are a democracy, we want to be strong enough to protect our own interests. We have our own objective of nation building, and in that, the defence must do its job as professionally as any professional would do.''

Although Air Chief Marshal Krishnaswamy was answering a specific question in that regard, his observation acquired a strategic resonance in the current context of the six-day show, which has been featuring aerobatics displays by the IAF's `Suryakiran' team and `Sarang' helicopter team. He was here in connection with the IAF's participation.

``A very confident partnership'' was how he characterised the India-Singapore engagement in the light of their latest defence cooperation agreement. A Singapore Air Force team would visit India ``within a week or so.'' This might set the ball rolling for air force-level interactions under the accord, he indicated. With China, the ongoing air force-related engagement should be seen as an aspect of the ``feel-good factor'' at work on the bilateral front.

Commenting positively on the U.S.-India military exercise that had been taking place at Gwalior for the last one week, he did not, however, foresee at this stage any significant possibility of bilateral defence links with deep connotations of ``inter-operability''.

Describing the IAF as a ``razor sharp combat force'' on a state of ``alert,'' he maintained that ``there is no problem with [the Sukhoi 30] engine.'' Noting that five prototypes of the light combat aircraft [LCA] ``are flying'' now, he said ``we are committed to that aircraft'' which ``is flying beautifully''. Commending the advanced light helicopter, he said ``we now intend to develop [a] light combat helicopter.''

On another aspect of capabilities, Air Chief Marshal Krishnaswamy said: ``India shall produce the first jet engine indigenously. The `Kaveri' will power the LCA, if not today, may be in less than 10 years. It is one of the really advanced design. We shall have [our] own airframe, our own engine for the Intermediary Jet Trainer. We will evolve, possibly, a more advanced variant which will replace the Hawk.'' Although India was looking at having a sophisticated early warning system from abroad, it was ``not our [overall] objective'' to go in for large `inductions' from the

West, he said.

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