Rajnath Singh visits IAF's Aerospace Medicine Institute in Bengaluru.

Delhi, 9 March (H.S.): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru, Karnataka on March 09.Rajnath Singh,the first Raksha Mantri to visit the institute, was briefed about the unique role of IAM in pilot training, their medical evaluation and aeromedical research.

The Defence Minister inspected flight simulators for pilot training and launched a project on 'Space Psychology' for astronaut selection and behavioral health for Indian space missions.

In his address, Rajnath Singh highlighted the growing need for expertise in aerospace medicine in view of the continuous increase in air and space traffic. “From the defence perspective, space has emerged as a major domain in warfare. We have taken a step forward in this direction and mastered the most-advanced technologies such as anti-satellite. India has also become the fastest growing aviation market in the world. As we are touching new heights in space, we need to explore more possibilities in aerospace medicine. There is a need for increased R&D as research in any high-end complex technology provides benefits to many fields,” he said.

Defence Minister emphasized the crucial role of aerospace medicine in addressing challenges like micro-gravity, radiation, and isolation experienced by humans in space. He highlighted issues such as neuronal problems and bone loss, urging the field to prepare for future responsibilities. The Minister praised IAM's contributions towards self-reliance in aerospace, including its work on helicopter designs and combat aircraft. He noted the sector's potential for unprecedented growth, vital for national security, economic progress, and space advancements by 2047.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh; Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Training Command Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor; Director General Medical Services (Air) Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja, and other senior officers of IAF accompanied Defence Minister during the visit.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar