By Group Captain Praveer Purohit (retd)
One of the many motivations for teenagers to join the National Defence Academy (NDA) was a dream of ‘escape from studies’.One reason was the fallacious assumption that ‘brawns’ were more valued than ‘brains’ in the military. Even those who joined the forces directly after graduation felt that their phase of studies was over. Of course, all these dreams (and day-dreams) came crashing when one joined the NDA or the follow-on academies such as Indian Military Academy (IMA), Air Force Academy (AFA) and Indian Naval Academy (INA). These academies laid a high proportion of weightage to academics and one couldn’t just ignore it.Sharpening of the brain was as important as strengthening the body. So as every officer would attest, their relationship with books, manuals and training notes continued for a long time into their careers.However, the focus predominantly remained on training and very little thought or importance was given to Professional Military Education (PME). One constantly heard the senior leadership talking and writing about ‘Training’ but hardly ever about PME. The late Air Commodore Jasjit Singh passionately espoused the cause of PME, unfortunately without much success, at least till the Kargil conflict. It was the Kargil Review Committee that reiterated the importance of PME and recommended establishing an Indian National Defence University (INDU).
One may well ask if there is any difference in training and PME. Although both are necessary, compatible and complementary, there are differences. Training is more focussed on the immediate skills necessary for a warrior. It seeks to develop those psycho-motor and technical skills required for the job at hand and develop muscle memory. In essence one trains for certainty. PME, on the other hand, includes intellectual, conceptual and ethical foundations of good leadership. PME is more indirect, long term and delves into the ‘why’ of issues. It seeks to develop critical thinking skills and an ability to think strategically. PME thus aims to prepare and educate leaders to deal with uncertainty. Traditionally, however most militaries including in India have tended to favour training over education. Consequently, the cultivation of a strategic mindset, honing of intellectual ability and tolerance for ambiguity have suffered.
Fortunately, the Indian Air Force (IAF) was quick to realize the importance of PME. A beginning was made when it became the first service to facilitate the establishment in 2001 of a think tank – Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS). Housed within the precincts of Western Air Command, and often mistaken as an ‘in-house’ think tank of IAF, CAPS is autonomous and independent but has a symbiotic and mutually enriching relationship with IAF. Towards educating the IAF personnel on matters of national security, geo-politics, aerospace power, nuclear issues and diplomacy, CAPS has been conducting seminars and conferences on mutually agreed themes with all Commands of the IAF. These seminars have been very useful in acquiring knowledge that shapes a strategic bent of mind. IAF officers, both serving and retired, have been undergoing fellowships in CAPS and have published books/papers that are intuitive, analytical and a treasure trove of knowledge.
Various ‘in-house’ measures have been taken by IAF towards PME in the last decade and half. Till 2006, the first PME programme/course that officers were exposed to was the Air Staff Course at DSSC, Wellington. Based on a tough selection criterion, only a small percentage of officers could undergo the course. A large number of officers never got exposed to strategic studies, geo-politics, war studies, and higher direction of war. Alive to these lacuna, a major revamp took place in 2007, when for the first time, the IAF introduced two mandatory PME courses for all its junior officers. The first was Basic Air Staff Course (BASCO) for Flight Lieutenants and the other was Intermediate Air Staff Course (ISCO) for Squadron Leaders. These courses had a year long distance learning component followed by a four week contact programme. The methodology adopted was that of self-learning, peer learning, sharing of domain knowledge and mentoring/ guidance by highly experienced, qualified and competent officers posted as Directing Staff or DS (akin to Professors in civil parlance) in the Faculty of Leadership & Air Power at Air Force Administrative College. The USP of these courses is that all officers are exposed to subjects such as Regional Studies, Area Studies, Geo-Politics, International Relations, Air Campaigns, Military History, Jointness, and Leadership. The coursework involves intense reading and research and sows the seeds of strategic thinking at an early age in service. Word about the quality of education and the good outcome has spread beyond the shores of India. These courses are much sought after and subscribed by officers from countries such as Mauritius, Bangladesh, Benin, Nepal, Afghanistan and many others. The Indian Army (IA) sent officers for these courses in 2019. According to those in the know, the feedback from IAF officers, foreign officers and IA has been exceptionally good. Unfortunately, for some inexplicable reason, BASCO was done away with, in 2021. However, the ISCO continues to be an enriching course and ‘lead-in’ step towards the Air Staff Course.
At the middle level(senior Squadron Leaders and Wing Commanders), the IAF PME programme comprises the Air Staff Course and Defence Services Technical Staff Course (DSTSC). The next major structured PME programme is the Higher Air Command Course (HACC). The HACC is almost a year long course for meritorious Group Captains and equivalents in the other two services conducted at College of Air Warfare (CAW). The IAF also sends some of its meritorious Group Captains to Army War College for the Higher Command Course, Naval War College for the Naval Higher Command Course and College of Defence Management for the Higher Defence Management Course.Besides these programmes, select IAF officers also attend the Nuclear Strategy Capsule (conducted by CAPS), National Defence & Strategic Studies Course at National Defence College and Advance Professional Programme in Public Administrationat Indian Institute of Public Administration. To further enhance PME andpreventstasis, one more programme was started in 2022. Called the Warfare and Aerospace Strategy Programme (WASP), it is a strategic education programme of 15 weeks duration and is structured to provide the participants with a deep understanding of strategy. The broader aim is to nurture critical thinkers who can blend cross-domain knowledge to generate policy-driving ideas at the strategic level. WASP aims to take ‘self-learning’ that began with BASCO and ISCO to an even higher strategic level. The second WASP cohort, jointly conducted by CAW and CAPS concluded with a capstone seminar on 28 June. Once again, IAF is the first and only service to take-off on such a venture.
However, there are some systemic challenges that the service will have to overcome. The importance of PME is still not widely understood and confused with training. Often, PME is sacrificed at the altar of immediate tactical requirements. It is necessary for the rank and file to take a long term view of PME rather than be happy with short term training outcomes. The PME will need continuous evolution to focus on forward thinking and resist conservatism. Military culture lays emphasis on action and not reflection. PME is about reflection and thus prone to a cultural bias. The service needs to nurture and ensure that officers who are well read, inquisitive, creative and have a strategic bent of mind are not disadvantaged in their promotional prospects. The IAF will have to guard itself against rewarding those who are mere echo chambers of their seniors. Most importantly, it will require the leadership at all levels to take ownership and continuously strive to inculcate intellectual dynamism.
The impetus given to PME by IAF since the last 15 years is laudable. The knowledge band-width of its officers in matters strategic has substantially increased. Young officers today are more aware of geo-politics. The Chief of Air Staff (CAS) has promulgated a CAS reading list. Every officer is expected to read at least one book. This is a step in the right direction, especially since reading books has become rare due to social media. Educational courses such as ISCO, HACC and WASP have unleashed the insatiable hunger for more knowledge. This augurs well because in fulfilling this hunger, more numbers will transform from mere ‘air warriors’ to ‘scholar-air warriors.’The IAF Doctrine 2022, envisions itself to be an agile and adaptable air force that provides decisive aerospace power in furtherance of our national interests.Fulfilling this vision requires leaders empowered with strategic brilliance and not mere tactical acumen. IAF’s endeavour to upgrade its PME is therefore a step in the right direction to develop the critical mass of strategic leadership required in the service of the nation.
The author served in the IAF for over three decades. He has a rich experience in operations, PME and training. A regular contributor to CASS Journal, his papers have also been published in CAW Journal and USI Journal. He is the winner of the Lt Gen SL Menezes Memorial Essay Competition 2020 conducted by USI.
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