India Air Chief's comments on delays in major defence projects call for introspection on issues plaguing manufacturing

Speaking on May 29 at the CII's Annual Business Summit in his first public interaction post-Operation Sindoor, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh made several pertinent points about the Indian defence industry. Pointing at perennial delays in every major defence project, he questioned why those involved in developing military hardware, particularly fighter jets, "promise something which can't be achieved". Admitting that, although the Indian Air Force (IAF) had been reliant on imported aerial platforms, "atmanirbharta" was now an imperative. Pointing at the cruciality of air power in contemporary warfare and expeditionary missions, he called upon the Defence Research & Development…