Foreword Air Chief Marshal NAK BROWNE PVSM AVSM VM ADC Chief of the Air Staff The IAF has had a remarkable and memorable journey since its formation on October 8, 1932. It has since been operating in an environment that is both challenging and demanding and is now a seasoned and battle tested force. Its inventory has been diverse and it has executed its tasks and roles with professionalism and élan. The IAF’s quest for greater professionalism in conducting its operations is a continuous process. Recording the collective memory of core beliefs in the form of a doctrine enforces a discipline and clarity of thought that helps sustain this dynamic process. Once recorded and periodically updated, the doctrine provides a common baseline for education and the dissemination of collective thought. The first air power doctrine of the IAF was published in October 1995. It dealt with topics such as: the theory of war, characteristics of air power and its relationship with strategy, various air campaigns, combat support operations and aspects related to prosecuting an air war. It provided an exhaustive narrative of the basics of air power employment. Taking into account, the considerable changes in technology and the evolving global security environment, the doctrine was revised in 2007. Hence, an updated version entitled IAP 2000-07 (Part 1 & 2) was issued in 2007. In keeping with the evolutionary nature of air power and the need to stay relevant across the spectrum of conflict in an interconnected environment, we felt the need to share our thoughts with the diverse stakeholders of national security that included not only