Bengaluru: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru, greeting the IAF officers. He highlighted the growing need for expertise in aerospace medicine given 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. The Defence Minister underscored the importance of aerospace medicine, terming it as critical for dealing with challenges such as micro-gravity, radiation, and isolation faced by a human being in space, while also addressing physical and mental changes. "Whether it is an issue related to neurons, bone loss or mental problems, it is the responsibility of aerospace and space medicine to tackle these challenges. The field must prepare itself for bigger responsibilities in the future," he said. According to a release issued by the Defence Ministry, Singh also inspected the Dynamic Flight Simulator and High-Performance Human Centrifuge used for High-G training of fighter pilots and the Spatial Disorientation Simulator for training the pilots of the Armed Forces to avert the risk of spatial disorientation in flight. Singh commended IAM's contribution towards achieving self-reliance in the aerospace sector. "Apart from aerospace medicine, IAM provides aero-medical consultancy in various aspects of crew module design and development. Its contribution to cockpit design is noteworthy. The institute has contributed significantly to the design and development of Advanced Light Helicopter, Light Utility Helicopter, Light Combat Helicopter and Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. It is also providing advice in the design and development of the country's most modern Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft," he said. Singh asserted that the aerospace sector is going to witness unprecedented growth in the times to come and it will be pivotal in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. "The sector is going to play a crucial role in deciding technological advancements, national security, and economic growth. In addition, it will be central in achieving milestones such as satellite launching, inter-planetary missions and commercial space services," he said. He also launched the Indian Council of Medical Research Extramural Research Project: Centre for Advanced Research at the institute. The title of the project is 'Space Psychology: Selection and Behavioural Health Training of Astronauts & Astronaut Designates for Indian Space Missions'. He was accompanied by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, and Director General Medical Services (Air) Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja during the visit. Singh is the first Defence Minister to visit IAM in Bengaluru. During his visit, he was briefed about the unique role of IAM in pilot training, medical evaluation and aeromedical research.
