Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday urged top commanders of the Indian Air Force to examine the rapidly changing global geopolitical situation and assess them in the Indian context besides emphasising the need to bolster its operational preparedness.

The defence minister was speaking at a two-day commanders' conference in Delhi.

Sources said IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari and other commanders during the conference would carry out a comprehensive review of the security situation along the China frontier in the Ladakh sector where India and China have been locked in a border stand-off since May 2020.

Top commanders are expected to analyse the rapid expansion of military infrastructure by the People's Liberation Army along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

Addressing the conference, the defence minister pointed out that new trends have emerged in the field of air warfare and there is a need to analyse and learn from them to strengthen the defence preparedness.

He also exhorted the IAF to focus on strengthening the air defence systems, use of drones and making headway in the field of aerospace to protect India's air domain.

"There are new challenges emanating from the global security scenario. We must always be ready to deal with them," Singh told the commanders.

He also underlined the need to enhance operational preparedness and highlighted the importance of joint planning and execution of operations by the three services.

Sources in the defence ministry said the commanders will review the overall security situation on the borders with China and Pakistan during the conference, which is being attended by the air officers commanding-in-chief of all commands of the IAF.

The two-day conference comes after the recent 20th round of military talks between the Indian and Chinese armies. The talks failed to achieve any breakthrough as the PLA is said to have categorically refused to disengage from the India-claimed territory of Depsang Plains.