**Executive Summary**
On 11 May 2026, the Headquarters Maintenance Command of the Indian Air Force and the Centre for Airpower and Strategic Studies (CAPSS) held a one-day joint seminar in Nagpur. Themed "Efficient Maintenance and Atmanirbharta Enablers of Airpower," the event focused on enhancing aerospace capability through maintenance efficiency and indigenous development. The seminar served to align maintenance strategies with national self-reliance goals to ensure operational readiness and reduce dependency on external sources.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Seminar Theme and Objectives**
* The event focused on "Efficient Maintenance and Atmanirbharta Enablers of Airpower" as critical drivers for aerospace capability.
* The primary goal was to deliberate on the role of maintenance frameworks in sustaining operational readiness and national security.
* **Strategic Leadership Perspectives**
* Air Marshal Yalla Umesh highlighted that achieving *Atmanirbharta* (self-reliance) in aerospace systems is essential for resilience and mission effectiveness.
* Emphasis was placed on developing indigenous capabilities to significantly reduce dependency on external/foreign sources.
* **Discussion Areas and Innovation**
* The seminar covered emerging maintenance practices, technological advancements, and indigenisation initiatives.
* Discussions addressed policy frameworks necessary to bolster India’s airpower and align with national defence production visions.
* Experts from the IAF and CAPSS exchanged perspectives to bridge the gap between strategic thinking and operational execution.
* **Collaboration and Future Outlook**
* The event fostered synergy between strategic think tanks and operational stakeholders.
* The seminar concluded with a commitment to drive transformative changes in aerospace maintenance through continued collaboration between the armed forces and research institutions.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Air Force (IAF) Maintenance Command**
**Impact**
The command is reaffirmed as a key driver for adopting innovative maintenance approaches and strengthening indigenous capabilities to support national objectives.
**Action Required**
Must implement transformative changes in maintenance practices and continue aligning operational strategies with the vision of self-reliance.
**Centre for Airpower and Strategic Studies (CAPSS)**
**Impact**
The think tank’s role in providing strategic perspectives and fostering synergy with military leaders has been strengthened.
**Action Required**
Must continue collaborating with the armed forces to provide research and insights that drive indigenisation and policy development.
**National Defence Production Sector**
**Impact**
There is a clearer roadmap for aligning domestic production with the specific maintenance and technological needs of the IAF.
**Action Required**
Stakeholders in this sector must focus on indigenous capability development to meet the demand for self-reliant aerospace systems and reduce external dependencies.
Key Entities Referenced
Maintenance Command, Indian Air Force: The primary operational wing of the IAF responsible for sustaining aerospace readiness and organizing the seminar on maintenance efficiency.
Centre for Airpower and Strategic Studies (CAPSS): An autonomous defence think tank that collaborated on the seminar to provide strategic insights into aerospace power.
Joint Aerospace Power Seminar: A strategic initiative/event centered on the theme of 'Efficient Maintenance and Atmanirbharta Enablers of Airpower' to bolster indigenous capability.
Air Marshal Yalla Umesh: Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command, who served as the Chief Guest and emphasized the vision of self-reliance in defence.
Nagpur: The central location hosting the Headquarters Maintenance Command and serving as the venue for the aerospace power seminar.
Ministry of Defence
CAPSS-HQ MAINTENANCE COMMAND JOINT
AEROSPACE
POWER SEMINAR CONDUCTED AT NAGPUR
Posted On: 13 MAY 2026 11:15AM by PIB Delhi
Headquarters Maintenance Command of the Indian Air Force, in collaboration with the Centre for
Airpower and Strategic Studies (CAPSS), an autonomous defence think tank, successfully conducted a
one-day Joint Aerospace Power Seminar at Nagpur on 11 May 2026. The seminar, centred on the
theme "Efficient Maintenance and Atmanirbharta Enablers of Airpower," brought together senior
military leaders, domain experts, and distinguished participants to deliberate on the critical role of
maintenance efficiency and self-reliance in enhancing aerospace capability.
Air Marshal Yalla Umesh, VSM, PhD, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command,
graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his address, he underscored the pivotal importance of robust
maintenance frameworks and indigenous capability development in sustaining operational readiness and
strengthening national security. He highlighted that achieving Atmanirbharta in aerospace systems is
essential for ensuring resilience, reducing dependency on external sources and enabling mission
effectiveness.
The seminar featured insightful presentations and panel discussions focusing on emerging maintenance
practices, technological advancements, indigenisation initiatives and policy frameworks aimed at
bolstering India's airpower. Experts from the Indian Air Force and CAPSS exchanged perspectives on
aligning maintenance strategies with the nation's vision of self-reliance in defence production.
The event provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and fostered deeper synergy between
strategic thinkers and operational stakeholders. It reaffirmed the commitment of Indian Air Force's
Maintenance Command towards adopting innovative approaches and strengthening indigenous
capabilities in support of national objectives. The seminar concluded with a shared resolve to further
enhance collaboration between think tanks and the armed forces in driving transformative changes in
aerospace maintenance and capability development.***
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