India prepared to face threat from enemies: IAF chief

"We remain committed and prepared to thwart any nefarious designs and threats arising from the enemies of the state," Air Chief Marshal Naik told reporters on the margins of an air force conference.

"As an emerging strategic aerospace force, we are fully capable of facing any challenge that it (IAF) is posed with," he added.

Asserting that the IAF had embarked on a major modernisation plan, Naik said its major acquisitions and upgradations would give the air force a set of capabilities for meeting all perceived threats head-on.

"Our training commands across the country have been training the generation-next of the air force with utmost professionalism and dedication," the outgoing IAF chief said. Air Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne will be the next IAF chief after Naik retires July 31.

"With the modernisation and induction of the latest fighting assets in the coming times, the commands face new challenges," he added.

The IAF is also training its next generation force to absorb the latest technologies so as to maximise exploitation of its weapon systems.

Earlier, Naik addressed the annual commanders' conference of flying and ground training establishments at the southern command here and took stock of various issues related to training and administration.

"The training standards have a direct bearing on our operational preparedness and, therefore, it is our endeavour to raise the benchmark in training.

Lauding the important role of the command, Naik said as the cradle of the air force from where every air warrior was nurtured and trained, the command was instrumental in enhancing the IAF's strategic abilities to counter any conventional or sub-conventional threats.