basic doctrine of the indian air force India’s response to these challenges through the years has always been restrained, measured and moderate. This is because India’s national security objectives have evolved against the backdrop of its core values of democracy, secularism, peaceful co-existence and the national goal of social and economic development. Even though as a nation India has no extra-territorial ambitions, it is still essential that it possesses a potent instrument of national power capable of deterring conflict and maintaining peace. Air power fulfils all these needs. The varied roles played by air power have been demonstratively proven in the recent past. The aerospace medium has enabled nations vastly removed in distance and time to exercise their power and influence across continents with astonishing rapidity. On the other hand, non-state actors have also exploited gaps in air defence to fly passenger aircraft into buildings. The opportunities and challenges, therefore, are manifold. It is only a clearly articulated air power doctrine that allows nations to leverage and exploit its tremendous potential. Air power doctrine is primarily a derivative of the fundamental principles that guide the application of air and space power and offers innovative ideas for the optimum exploitation of the medium. Fundamental principles draw on operational experiences and are timehonoured ways for achieving optimum success. They are guidelines that have worked in the past. Conversely, innovative ideas are futuristic and are limited only by imagination and technology. The interaction of these two constituents, makes an air power doctrine particularly dynamic bound only by experience, imagination and technology. Unless the unique attributes and limitations of air power are understood, its sub-optimal utilisation would continue. History is replete with such instances primarily because air power is the youngest form of military power. Its relevance and application are yet to be completely comprehended by military strategists and practitioners of operational art. This is particularly applicable in our unique context. It is a historical fact that various empires through thousands of years 4