New Delhi, Oct 4: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has made a proposal to the Government that one of its Air Marshals be appointed as the chief of the aerospace PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
"We have proposed that a senior IAF three-star officer be considered for the post," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne told a press conference here on Monday.
He said IAF spends around 70 per cent of its budget for the PSU and therefore it should have a say in the affairs of the largest aerospace company in the country.
The IAF has put forth Air Vice Marshal P P Reddy's name for the post. The officer is currently posted at the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command and is expected to pick up his next rank very soon.
The previous air chief had proposed Air Marshal M Matheshwaran's name for the post, but that proposal was not cleared by the Ministry.
The IAF is in the process of signing deals worth over USD 20 billion in the next few years and most of the projects would be undertaken by HAL only.
The Defence Ministry has agreed to HAL's disinvestment for helping its expansion and modernisation plans.
In reply to a query on shortage of officers, the IAF chief said the force was short of 541 pilots and expected the gap to be filled up by the end of 2014-15.
Asked about the preparations by IAF for securing the island territories in Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, he said within next three to four years, the force will deploy its elements there for strengthening the capabilities of the full-fledged tri-services command located there.
Meanwhile, commenting on the responsibilities of the IAF, Browne said that earlier India's strategic interest were defined from Gulf of Aden to Straits of Malacca and then northwards.
"That was earlier but as global footprint of India increases, IAF will be called upon to serve India's interests wherever the capacity or whatever our capacity lie," he said.
Asked if the expanding strategic interests meant that India was becoming expeditionary, the IAF chief said, "No, we are not going to go a fight someone else's war for someone else. There is a difference between strategic interests and expeditionary forces."
He said by 2022, India would gain the capability to look after its strategic interests.Browne said the three defence plans including the 11th, 12th and the 13th were key for IAF's modernisation as in this period the force will see maximum movement in this direction.
"The major change will happen in the 11th and the beginning of the 12th Plan. In mid 12th plan, we will be in certainly comfortable position," he said. PTI
