The Indian Air Force held a summit on Friday, June 24, at the Air Force Auditorium in New Delhi, which marked the conclusion of the first Strategic War and Aviation Program (WASP). The seminar was held under the auspices of the College of Air Warfare and the Center for Air Power Studies. Chief Air Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, gave a keynote address at the event, which was attended by senior officers from all three services, aviation scholars, academies of major think tanks, and leading universities in the country.
During his speech, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari mentioned that the goal of WASP is to create strategic thinking and understanding among IAF officers. He revealed that the program is designed to briefly introduce participants to the key disciplines of Comprehensive National Power in the country, which will allow them to understand the approach of the entire government and form independent views. He emphasized that “the IAF’s strategic priorities need to be reviewed” and measures re-adjusted to ensure that the service is not abandoned.
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari congratulates the participants and encourages them to translate the accumulated knowledge into possible strategies and remember that their ideas will not only go through aviation-related strategies but will also contribute to the development of equivalent military and national strategies. It also highlights the fact that while a well-implemented strategy cannot guarantee success, the loss of a consistent and sustainable strategy will inevitably lead to failure.
The seminar participants presented papers on current topics related to the use of aviation in recent conflicts and the changing doctrinal rules that establish the dominant role of aviation in national security. The seminar also included the publication of a revised edition of the IAF doctrine.
