The Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies (CAPSS) together with the Indian Air Force organized a seminar on October 9, 2026, at the Air Force Auditorium in Subroto Park, New Delhi, as part of Exercise Tarang Shakti-2026. The seminar focused on the theme "The Central Role of Air Power in the Evolving Battlespace" and brought together representatives from partner Air Forces across all continents, senior military leaders, academia, industry, and media to examine how air power is adapting to the changing character of warfare.
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor (Retd.), Director General of CAPSS, delivered the welcome address, elucidating the role of air power in contemporary conflicts and highlighting CAPSS's contributions since its establishment in 2001. The year 2026 marks the Silver Jubilee of CAPSS, which was founded as an autonomous research and analysis body focused on national security, nuclear, and aerospace issues.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, delivered the inaugural address, emphasizing the need for integrated capabilities, operational resilience, and enhanced interoperability to meet emerging challenges in air warfare. He stressed the concurrent development of manned and unmanned operations guided by clear employment doctrines, and the integration of all sensors, weapon systems, and unmanned platforms with communication and data networks from the outset. The CAS also called for strengthening supply chains, adopting innovative training methods, and enhancing capacity to sustain prolonged operations. He highlighted air power's role in humanitarian assistance, support to partner countries, and advancing the nation's international standing, emphasizing focused deliberations on information warfare and perception management.
The seminar featured two working sessions. The first session, chaired by former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, examined the transformation of air warfare in the 21st century, exploring the shift from air superiority to battlespace control, decision dominance, and the role of media as a strategic weapon. The second session, chaired by Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force, examined air power as a strategy of national power, covering deterrence, coercion, escalation control, and human capital development. This session debated necessary reforms in air power to meet emergent and future battlefield requirements holistically.
The discussions provided participants and online viewers with valuable perspectives on the future of air power, encouraging informed dialogue among partner Air Forces and identifying doctrinal priorities and areas for future cooperation.