New Delhi: The threat of global conflict looms large, fuelled by ideological divisions, resource scarcity and climate change, said Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari on Friday.

The Air Chief was speaking on India and Global South at the 20th Subroto Mukherjee Seminar organized at Manekshaw Centre.

The Air Chief said that the landscape of international relations is constantly shifting and traditional power structures are increasingly being challenged by new players and the threat of global conflict looms large, fuelled by ideological divisions, resource scarcity and climate change which has created interconnected challenges like economic disparity and resource exploitation.

"Black Swan events like COVID-19 and conflicts like those we are witnessing across the world have aggravated the situation. In spite of all this, we are witnessing resilience and sustained economic growth by countries of the Global South. By 2030, it is projected that the top 10 largest economies will be from this group, India being one among them. Therefore, while there are challenges, the future also promises many opportunities," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.

He further said that IAF may easily act as a catalyst for progress, fostering strategic partnerships and contributing to the collective advancement of the Global South.

"In the past nine years, the Indian Air Force alone has trained more than 5000 foreign trainees from countries of the global south and this number is only increasing. Beyond long-term training, short-term curated courses on specific areas of expertise for target countries can be formulated and offered on a regular basis," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.

The Chief of Air Staff further said that India's growing indigenous defence capability has already opened the doors for partnerships and exports. Platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)and Akash offer competitive and reliable options for air forces of the Global South, boosting India's economic and technological clout, Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari added.

"We have increased the footprint of training and cooperation with these nations and IAF conducts regular training programs for these partner nations sharing best practices in the fields of operations and maintenance," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari said.

"Roles played by the Indian Military Advisory Teams and courses offered through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation program (ITEC), have paved the way for increased cooperation. Such programmes have focused on capacity building and human resource development. Over the years, ITEC has trained more than 200,000 officials in both civil and the defence sectors," Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari added.