Hyderabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged newly commissioned Indian Air Force officers to adapt to the realities of changing warfare.
He asked them to embrace emerging technologies and modern military strategies.
Rajnath Singh addressed the Combined Graduation Parade of the 217th Course at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal on Friday.
He said modern warfare has undergone significant changes in recent years.
According to him, conventional battlefields no longer define conflicts.
Radars, satellites, drones and robotic systems now play a major role.
He noted that adversaries are often not visible in modern conflicts.
The Defence Minister also pointed to threats involving surveillance systems and communication networks.
Changing warfare demands technological excellence
Rajnath Singh advised the newly commissioned officers to remain prepared for evolving challenges.
He asked them to recalibrate their responses according to changing situations.
Further, he stressed the importance of hard work and smart work.
He also encouraged officers to pursue professional excellence.
The Defence Minister observed that technology has transformed military capabilities.
As a result, even smaller nations can achieve strategic advantages through advanced weapons and tactics.
He urged officers to learn from conflicts taking place around the world.
Rajnath Singh reviewed the parade and conferred the President’s Commission on graduating trainees.
The event marked the completion of pre-commissioning training for flight cadets.
Notably, the ceremony also marked the commissioning of the first batch of women cadets from the National Defence Academy, Pune.
The cadets completed branch-specific training at the Air Force Academy.
The Defence Minister also referred to IAF officer Shubhanshu Shukla.
He urged the newly commissioned officers to carry forward his legacy.
During the ceremony, officials awarded the President’s Plaque and Sword of Honour to Flying Officer Ashish Kumar Yadav.
He secured first place in the overall order of merit in the flying branch.
Officials also presented President’s Plaques to Divyanshi Singh and Ekta Gupta.
They topped the ground duty and navigation branches respectively.
Meanwhile, aerial displays added colour to the ceremony.
The Akash Ganga team, Air Warrior Drill Team, Sarang helicopter display team and Suryakiran Aerobatic Team participated in the event.
IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh led the fly-past formation.