India, Nov. 3 -- It has become de rigueur for both incoming and outgoing chiefs of the Air Force to reiterate the urgent need to plug its hardware gap, which has left the service short on operational squadrons relative to its sanctioned strength. Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, too, has made his foremost task the rebuilding of the IAF's combat strength through indigenisation. Dixit's thrust on indigenisation needs to be seen as a signal to Indian defence manufacturers to get their house in order in terms of timely deliveries and ingenuity.

Inducting and operationalising the LCA Mk-1A is Dixit's immediate priority as the IAF's long-serving MiG-21s were finally mothballed last year. Deliveries of the aircraft by State-owned manufacturer ...