Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday urged the armed forces to strengthen their offensive and defensive capabilities to maintain the element of surprise against adversaries. Addressing the Air Force Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi, he stressed the need for stronger intelligence and surveillance systems, counter-drone operations and preparedness for emerging warfare domains.

According to an official release, Singh called for improved operational readiness to address conventional and emerging threats. He said India must develop capabilities that prevent adversaries from reacting while ensuring its own forces remain prepared for unexpected attacks. “Our Defence Forces must develop capabilities and methods that leave the adversary with no time to react or recover, while simultaneously ensuring that we are never caught off guard by an unexpected move from the enemy. Surprise can manifest in various forms, both conventional and electronic. Our intelligence and surveillance mechanisms must be further strengthened and operational preparedness enhanced to ensure that our personnel remain alert, agile and equipped to respond effectively to any emerging challenge,” said the Defence Minister.

Highlighting the changing nature of warfare, Singh said modern conflicts now extend beyond traditional battlefields. Referring to the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts, he pointed to the growing role of missiles, drones and air defence systems. He urged commanders to prepare for threats involving kamikaze drones, surveillance and counter-drone operations.

He also called on the Indian Air Force (IAF) to develop dedicated doctrines for electronic, cyber and space warfare. “Victory in future conflicts would depend not merely on the number of aircraft, but also on technological sophistication, speed of response and precision of preparations,” he said. He stressed the need to integrate these emerging domains into military planning and operational processes.

The Defence Minister said the armed forces were undergoing major reforms in organisational structures, jointness, integration and operational concepts. He praised the IAF for implementing its doctrines effectively during and after Operation Sindoor. He also appreciated the professionalism, restraint and judgement displayed by air warriors during the operation.

Singh said the lessons from Operation Sindoor had influenced the IAF's evolving operational procedures, particularly its increased focus on drones and air defence systems. He also congratulated all three Services for their coordinated efforts and stressed that jointness must remain central to military planning.

He urged commanders to continue training personnel in emerging technologies and make better use of the technical knowledge of young recruits. On the Second Tour of Duty for Agniveers, he said the decision followed feedback from the armed forces and reflected the government's commitment to incorporating their suggestions into policy decisions.

During the conference, Singh launched a suite of indigenous artificial intelligence applications developed by the IAF's AI Centre of Excellence under the Unit for Digitisation, Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Application Networking (UDAAN). The applications will automate and speed up operational, administrative and aerospace safety tasks. They will run on the IAF's secure network.

The two-day conference, themed ‘The Year of Empowerment: Maximising Efficiency Through Decentralisation’, brings together senior IAF leadership to discuss operational, maintenance and administrative matters. The inaugural session was attended by Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and other senior defence officials.