Ahead of Air Force Day, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Friday said that it was important to have indigenous weapons systems to deal with any future security challenges.

Addressing media persons, the IAF chief said, "We have to decide on the route to be taken for the procurement (of 114 new fighter aircraft). We are right now looking at the DAP-2020 for the 114 multi role fighter programme and we want it to be Made in India. Indian Air Force should have its entire inventory produced in India by 2047."

"We are looking at inducting the long-range surface to air-guided weapons like the Kusha, a large number of Akash missiles have been inducted and we are now looking at Akash NG. If you are relying outside, they can choke you. If you want to fight the war like it is being fought where 200-300 missiles are being fired, you need to have them made indigenously," he added

Pitching for private sector participation to address production challenges, the Indian Air Force chief said, "It is a known fact that the Tejas aircraft has been delayed. If the promise of producing 24 aircraft per year, that delay can be addressed. We need to look at private players coming in. HAL has also its own limitations and looking at the numbers involved, we need the private industry to chip in to meet the production challenges."

'Central Sector airfields being upgraded'

He also touched upon the situalion along the Line of Actul Control, stating that India, like China, is rapidly upgrading infrastructure along the border.

"As far as Eastern Ladakh is concerned, the infrastructure development on the other side is rapid. We are also matching up and new airfields are coming up at Nyoma and also beefing up existing capabilities. Airfields are being upgraded in the Central sector," ACM AP Singh said.

Agencies