General Bipin Rawat calls Air Force an auxiliary wing of the army

Air Chief Marshal disagrees with the opinion of the Chief of Defense Staff

The Air Force has objected to the creation of the proposed Integrated Theater Command

New Delhi: Resuming discussions on the roles of various wings of the Army in the proposed Integrated Theater Command, Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat said the Air Force is an auxiliary wing of the Army. However, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria disagreed with the view, saying the Air Force plays a very big role in the war.

Speaking at a webinar organized by the Global Counterterrorism Council, General Rawat said the air force has to provide support to the forces fighting on the ground and it should not be forgotten that the air force has to be a supporting wing in the armed forces like an artillery or an engineer. The air force also has to assist the ground forces.

Rawat said the Air Force is an auxiliary wing but they have Air Defense Charter Six and they assist the ground forces during military operations. This is the basic charter he should understand. "We intend to create an air defense command that will be responsible for protecting airspace," Rawat said.

Speaking later in the same webinar, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said that the Air Force plays not only a supportive role but also a much bigger role. Playing a supporting role in any war is not the only issue. "We don't mind the integrated theater command," he said. But the country should design it properly.

Because this is the most important defense reform. Which is bound to affect India's ability to fight future wars. The Indian Air Force is concerned about the structure of the proposed theater of command. Indian Air Force sources said the assets of the Indian Air Force are to be divided into the proposed theater command. The Theater Commander will also report to the Chief of Staff Committee headed by the Chief of Defense Staff.

General Rawat dismissed the concern over the split in the Air Force's assets, saying that even today his assets are divided into five operational commands. Resources will be allocated from one theater to another as and when required.

On January 1, 2020, General Bipin Rawat has been assigned to complete the work by August 15, 2023. The Center has also constituted a panel to resolve the differences, which have recently come to light at a high level.