'India Looking At Creating Rocket Force': Gen Rawat On Measures For Bolstering Nation's Airpower

"Time for us to start looking at our strategies as to how we are going to deal with two borders having aggressive neighbours, Pakistan on the western front and China on the north," Gen Rawat said.

New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has revealed that India is looking at "creating a rocket force". He talked about it while emphasising the need for extensive use of niche technology for combating various national security challenges, including any future aggression by China.

In an address at an event on Wednesday, Gen Rawat dubbed Pakistan as a "proxy" of China, stating that Islamabad will continue its "proxy war" against India in Jammu and Kashmir and that it is now attempting to create trouble in Punjab along with some other parts of the country.

"As far as our northern adversary is concerned, since we have unsettled borders with them and they have shown aggression on the east coast, on the South China Sea with nations in that area, are they (China) likely to show aggression on our northern borders?" Gen Rawat said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

"Whether it happens in the form of direct aggression or through use of technology, we have to be prepared. This preparation can only happen if we work together," the Chief of Defence Staff added.

Talking about measures for bolstering India's airpower, Gen Rawat said, "We are looking at creating a rocket force". He, however, did not elaborate on the plan.

On geopolitical developments, Gen Rawat said China's rise has happened faster than envisaged and the country is becoming more and more aggressive.

"We share a land border with them. Therefore, I think it is time for us to start looking at our strategies as how we are going to deal with two borders having aggressive neighbours, Pakistan on the western front and China on the north," he said, as quoted by PTI.

"We need to start looking at transformation for the betterment and ensuring that the national security architecture that we want to evolve is capable of dealing with the kind of threats we are seeing," he added.

The Chief of Defence Staff said ensuring integration among the armed forces was instrumental for confronting future security challenges.

He emphasised that technology must be considered as the fifth pillar of national power after diplomacy, information, military and economic prowess. All the three forces must understand the importance of new technology to meet future challenges, he said.

Referring to the ambitious theaterisation initiative for the three services, Gen Rawat informed that the plan is to have one theatre command each for the western border and northern border.

Responding to a question, he also stated that the chiefs of the three forces will ensure training and look at the wherewithal of the theatre commands besides other key aspects.

Gen Rawat said any war will be precisely fought by the theatre commanders on an approved plan made by the Chiefs of the Staff Committee. The Chiefs of Staff Committee will be headed by the Chief of Defence Staff.

(With Agency Inputs)