Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) visited Headquarters Southern Air Command on February 16, 2026 for attending the Annual Commanders' Conference of Southern Air Command (SAC). He was received by Air Marshal Manish Khanna, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief SAC and was presented with a ceremonial Guard of Honour on his arrival.

The CAS was briefed on the ongoing initiatives, operational readiness including Air Defence of Southern region, and the ongoing expansion of lAF's reach and capabilities in the IOR. The theme of the conference 'Operational efficiency through Decision Autonomy', underscored the Indian Air Force's evolving approach to modern warfare through decentralised leadership.

During the conference, the CAS interacted with field commanders from Stations under SAC and emphasized the role of decentralised decision-making in rapid response, mission success and maintaining operational advantage in dynamic security environment. He urged that trust, accountability and clarity of intent enable the commanders to exercise autonomy while remaining aligned with strategic objectives. He urged commanders to foster innovation, optimize resources and strengthen jointness to ensure the IAF remains a potent and future-ready aerospace power.