Future military power will depend on decision-making speed, not platform numbers: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted that future military power will hinge on decision-making speed rather than the number of platforms a nation owns, emphasizing self-reliance and international collaboration. Speaking at the second edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti 2026, Singh underscored the evolving nature of warfare, which now extends into space, cyberspace, the electromagnetic spectrum, and the information domain.

He detailed the increasing prominence of drones, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and long-range precision weapons in military operations. Organized by the Indian Air Force from September 26 to October 12, the multinational exercise saw participation from seven countries and an additional 32 nations in an observer capacity, focusing on joint mission planning and operational learning.

India's commitment to self-reliance in defence was emphasized, with the nation striving to design, manufacture, maintain, and upgrade critical technologies domestically. Singh outlined several indigenous programmes, such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand, Akash air defence system, and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

He stressed India's openness to cooperate with like-minded countries on research, joint development, and innovation. Singh asserted that future defense relationships would be based on technology and trust, not merely platforms. He encouraged the Indian Air Force to integrate the insights gained from the exercise into its training, tactics, technology, doctrine, and future capability development, citing Operation Sindoor as an example of the IAF's precision and effectiveness in national security missions.