Air Chief Chaudhari emphasises on need to move towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’

Staff Reporter

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, the Chief of Air Staff, visited the city on Thursday and Friday. During his stay here, the Air Chief chaired the Maintenance Command Commanders’ Conference at Vayusena Nagar.

In his address to the commanders, he appreciated the vital role being played by Headquarters Maintenance Command (HQMC) and its units towards sustenance of various fleets and systems. Also, he emphasised upon the need to move towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. He also spoke about positive contribution that could be made by Maintenance Command Units, and stressed upon active participation of all personnel in the ‘transformative changes’ initiated towards nation-building. The Air Chief’s statements assume significance considering that a few days ago, on April 20, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM had highlighted certain needs at the IAF Commanders’ Conference at Air Headquarters. The CDS was then briefed about the operational readiness of the IAF.

Addressing the IAF Commanders present in that Conference, the CDS had highlighted the need to chart a clear path towards ‘fleet sustenance’, while simultaneously taking steps towards ‘increasing indigenisation’. He had discussed the contours of enhancing integration amongst the three services and the benefits that would accrue from the same.

Before the IAF Commanders’ Conference, a three-day Combined Commanders’ Conference was held in Bhopal. During the valedictory session of that conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reviewed the security situation and ‘operational readiness’ of the Armed Forces.

The theme of the Combined Commanders’ Conference was ‘Ready, Resurgent, Relevant’, under which deliberations were held on a variety of topics including evolution of a ‘Joint Military Vision’ for the future and ‘indigenisation’.

During the same conference, Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister, had lauded the Armed Forces for providing support to the Government in realising its vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Thus, there is a common thread running through all these conferences, including the latest IAF Maintenance Command Commanders’ Conference in Nagpur, as far as focus on increasing indigenisation and fleet sustenance was concerned. During this conference, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari also awarded trophies to Units that were adjudged the best in their respective fields of activities. On arrival for the conference, the Chief of Air Staff was received by Air Marshal Vibhas Pande, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command.