Future military power will depend on speed, precision, information and integration: Rajnath Singh
Military power in the future will depend less on the number of platforms a country owns and more on the speed of sensing, decision-making and action, Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday (Oct 10, 2026), calling for greater self-reliance in defense technology and stronger partnerships with trusted countries.
Mr. Singh was addressing the participants of the second year of the multi-national air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti 2026’ at Jodhpur Air Station, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Modern warfare was expanding beyond the traditional domains of land, sea and air to include space, the cyber domain, the electromagnetic spectrum and the information domain, he told the gathering, adding that military operations were increasingly being shaped by drones, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and long-range precision weapons.
“Future military power will be less defined by the number of platforms we have. It will be determined by the speed of perception, understanding, decision-making and action,” Mr Singh said.
Emphasizing the importance of atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence, he said indigenous capabilities were essential to sustain the country during protracted conflicts and periods of insecurity. Self-sufficiency did not mean isolation, but the ability to design, develop, manufacture, maintain and upgrade critical defense technologies domestically, he said.
Mr Singh highlighted India’s aerospace and defense manufacturing ecosystem, citing indigenously developed programmes, including the Tejas, Dhruv, Rudra, Prachand and Light Utility Helicopter fighters, the Akash air defense system and advanced radars, a ministry statement said. He described the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft program as an important step toward mastering fifth-generation stealth fighter technology and emphasized the need for advanced development and co-production of aircraft engines.
“The defense relationship of the future will be about technology and trust, not just platforms,” he said, calling for resilient supply chains and cooperation in research, joint development, production, maintenance and training.
“Exercise Tarang Shakti” provided an opportunity for the participating air forces to exchange operational knowledge, evaluate procedures and improve interoperability, Mr. Singh said. He urged the Indian Air Force (IAF) to incorporate the lessons learned into its training, tactics, technology, doctrine and future capability development.
“Different nations. Different planes. Different experiences. But one sky. That is the message of Tarang Shakti,” Mr Singh said.
Organized by the IAF from September 26 to October 12, the exercise brought together the air forces of Australia, Bangladesh, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the US along with 32 observer nations. Indigenous platforms including Tejas and Prachand also participated.
In connection with Operation Sindoor, the Defense Minister emphasized the importance of operational readiness, integrated planning and effective use of air power, the ministry said.
Chief of Defense Staff General NS Raja Subramani, Air Chief AP Singh and Navy Chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan attended the event.
Published – 10 Oct 2026 21:04 IST