APJ - Apr-Jun 2015 - 09-06-15 Inside

As we move ahead, it would be essential in “most wars of all to bear in mind the fact that India ranks types”; and tops the amongst the top five countries in the list of countries that “number of conflict years experienced”; it is second in the list of countries involved greatest number of in “most wars of all types”; and tops the intra-state wars”. [...] For instance, the survival of the various empires of the Mauryas, the Guptas, and later, the Mughals, etc through thousands of years, was entirely dependent on their armies until the British introduced the concept of maritime power by the 18th century. [...] The strength of India’s air power lies in the IAF with the capabilities of the air arms of the other Services reinforcing that strength. [...] The strength of air power includes the ability to harness the opportunities in the operating medium and also to secure the nation against threats from the operating medium. [...] The foreseen crowding of the national air space and the challenges of air space management in the near future would also demand greater coordination of air and space assets.