The Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies (CAPSS), together with the Indian Air Force (IAF), organised a seminar on 09 October 2026 at the Air Force Auditorium, Subroto Park in New Delhi, on the side-lines of Exercise Tarang Shakti-26. The seminar, on the theme “The Central Role of Air Power in the Evolving Battlespace," brought together representatives of partner Air Forces from all continents, senior military leaders, academia industry and the media to examine how air power is adapting to the changing character of warfare.
Fresh from the operational experiences gained during this flying exercise, the teams now carried forward their engagement to the conceptual level during the seminar. The seminar sought to identify doctrinal priorities and areas for future cooperation and encouraged informed dialogue among partner Air Forces.
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor (Retd.), Director General, CAPSS, delivered the welcome address. He elucidated the role of air power in contemporary conflicts and highlighted the contribution of CAPSS in fostering it. CAPSS was established in 2001 as an autonomous research and analysis body focused on national security, nuclear, and aerospace issues. The year 2026 marks the Silver Jubilee of CAPSS.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, delivered the inaugural address. The CAS underscored 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. He also called for strengthening supply chains, adopting innovative training methods and enhancing capacity to sustain prolonged operations. Highlighting air power’s role in humanitarian assistance, support to partner countries and advancing the nation’s international standing, he emphasized focused deliberations on information warfare and perception management, along with greater exchange of operational experience and enhanced cooperation among air forces to address common challenges.
The first working session looked at the transformation of air warfare in the 21st century and was chaired by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, former Chief of the Air Staff. The session explored the shift from air superiority to battlespace control, decision dominance and the role of media as a strategic weapon. The panellists argued that air power is no longer about owning the skies alone; it involves an entire operational ecosystem. The session engaged both traditional concepts as well as modern themes. The second session was chaired by Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Australian Air Force. The session examined air power as a strategy of national power, covering deterrence, coercion, escalation control, and human capital development. This session debated the necessary reforms in air power to meet emergent and future requirements of the battlefield holistically. It also dissected the role of air power in deterrence and escalation control.
The discussion were insightful and engaging, offering participants and online viewers valuable, rich and diverse perspectives on the future of air power.