As economic challenges, trade and energy security take precedence over peninsular issues, the role of armed forces in protecting nation's interests became crucial, he said.
The two countries are also likely to ink a deal for a joint venture to build a multi-role transport aircraft and further discuss Moscow's offer to New Delhi to invest in the joint development of a fifth generation fighter.
Six Su-30MKIs and two Il-78 MKI mid-air refuelling aircraft will participate in the wargame.
'Their air force is no match to ours!'
While the IAF will field the Su-30s, the RAF will use its Tornado, Hawk and Typhoon combat jets, VC-10 tankers and AWACS in the exercise.
MiG-27 ML had proved its worth in various operations, including in Kargil and earned rich accolades in numerous international exercises held in India.
The deal is for the swapping of 18 Sukhoi fighter jets in service with the IAF for the latest version of air superiority multi-role warbirds tailored to meet Indian requirements
'We spent Rs 59,000 crore on acquiring 36 Rafales and we do not know if we will ever use them. The chances are that we never will,' argues Aakar Patel.
Addressing the parade, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said the IAF had transformed from a small and tactical force into a strategic power to reckon with.
The successful test will result in huge savings of replacement cost of missiles held in the inventory of the Indian Armed Forces.
Even as three Rafale fighters line up in Bengaluru for eye-popping aerobatics displays at the Aero India 2015 exhibition this week, senior ministry of defence sources say the proposal to buy the French fighter is "effectively dead".
State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is evaluating proposals made by its market advisor, SBI Capital Markets, to buy 10 per cent stake in an international consortium led by American and European aircraft-makers to foray into the civilian aircraft ma
In rebranding the F-16 into the F-21, Lockheed Martin appears to have accepted what many have warned it for years: That the IAF would never buy a fighter whose very name is associated across India with the Pakistan Air Force which has operated the F-16 since the 1980s.
The IAF faces a 'fighter gap' of 13 squadrons. The IAF would be caught seriously short in a two-front war -- the worst-case planning contingency in which China and Pakistan attack India simultaneously, points out Ajai Shukla.
The government will zero in by the end of current fiscal a fighter jet it wants to build under 'Make in India' initiative, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
The Indian Air Force celebrated its 82nd Air Force Day at the Hindon base on Wednesday.
A Jet Airways Boeing 737 with 89 passengers on Thursday had a miraculous escape after it was involved in a near-collision with a formation of Sukhoi-30 Air Force fighter jets over the airport in Rajkot.
The navy has begun deploying the ship-launched version of BrahMos in its warships in a phased manner.
Russia has blamed "human factor" for the crash of a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft in October last year that led to the grounding of the entire fleet of India's frontline fighter plane for a month, a charge denied by the Indian Air Force.
India is now the only power in Asia after China to deploy such a capability.
While its operating radius remains secret, a back-of-the-envelope calculation indicates it can easily strike targets 1,000 kilometres away and return to base.
India must develop structured multilateralism to its defence buys
A formation of three IAF Mi-8 helicopters in the national tricolour and ensigns of the IAF and the aero show marked the start of the five-day event.
In the early hours of Tuesday, 12 Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter jets entered Pakistani airspace and dropped 1,000-kg laser-guided bombs on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror launch pads across the Line of Control.
'The two countries are committed to maintaining and consolidating bilateral strategic partnership,' he said.
The Congress kept sheltering Quattrochi, and the BJP was more intent on shielding the Hinduja brothers. The fact is that the two roads crisscrossed, and neither the truth prevailed nor did the law take its course, says Mohan Guruswamy.
The single seater combat plane, developed on the basis of Su-30MKI, will be lighter and cheaper than Su-30, Sukhoi Aircraft Corporation chief Mikhail Pogosyan said.
IAF versus USAF: the air exercises begin
The Indian Navy tested its war machinery in series of month-long drill in the Indian Ocean. RS Chauhan reports
The tri-services chiefs while addressing the media also said that the forces were in a state of heightened readiness to deal with any eventuality.
'I had raised the matter with the air chief and a date was fixed but the flight could not materialise because of some engagements,' he told the Lok Sabha.
The defence ministry has now written to the ministry of external affairs informing it about the incident.
Armed with rockets and missiles, these helicopters can rain fire on the enemy in rarefied altitudes.
India joins exclusive club of US, Europe, Russia and China.
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