Military power in the future would depend less on the number of platforms a country possesses and more on the speed of sensing, decision-making and action, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday (October 10, 2026), while calling for greater self-reliance in defence technology, and stronger partnerships with trusted countries.
Mr. Singh addressed the participants in the second edition of the multinational air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti 2026’ at the Jodhpur Air Force Station, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
Modern warfare was expanding beyond the traditional domains of land, sea and air to encompass space, cyber, the electromagnetic spectrum and the information domain, he told the gathering, adding that drones, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and long-range precision weapons were increasingly shaping military operations.
Emphasising the importance of atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence, he said indigenous capabilities were essential to sustain the country during prolonged conflicts and periods of uncertainty. Self-reliance did not mean isolation but the ability to design, develop, manufacture, maintain and upgrade critical defence technologies domestically, he said. Referring to Operation Sindoor, the Defence Minister highlighted the importance of operational preparedness, integrated planning and the effective application of air power, the Ministry said.
