On November 4, the "Printers' Report" reported that Air Chief Marshal AP Singh of the Indian Air Force stated that unmanned combat has a role but cannot win wars on its own, and manned aircraft remain the absolute mainstay of air combat. On November 4, Singh pointed out at the "India Defense Conference" organized by BharatShakti, an Indian defense industry platform website, that although drones are currently a popular new weapon, they can only cause some chaos and provide support to a certain extent, and cannot effectively strike the enemy's depth with decisive destructive weapons. Therefore, manned aircraft will not be replaced in the short term. (Editor's note: India held its first large-scale joint military exercise focused on drones in early October, and the army also conducted multiple drone exercises in various areas. The role of drones was practically demonstrated in the India-Pakistan conflict in May. As the importance of drones in India's military reforms increases, the traditional position of the Indian Air Force is facing certain challenges.) Regarding whether long-range missiles will be the direction of development for the Indian military, Singh said it depends on specific circumstances and the matching of weapons and targets, and different operational scenarios require different combinations of weapons. Regarding the development of India's defense self-reliance, Singh said that the Indian military is on the right path. Currently, the Indian government is promoting policies and regulations favorable to domestic manufacturing, encouraging private sectors and small and medium enterprises to participate actively, while also seeking cooperation with appropriate international partners to make up for its own technological shortcomings. (Editor's note: On November 1, the "Defense Procurement Manual 2025" came into effect. This version has been extensively revised from the 2009 version.)
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