At the second Army Commanders’ Conference, defence minister Rajnath Singh stressed upon the present complex and ambiguous world situation which affects everyone globally. And, “Expect the Unexpected and thereby plan, strategize and prepare accordingly,” the minister urged the Army Commanders to consider these while planning and formulating strategies.
He stated that “Unconventional and asymmetric warfare, including hybrid war will be part of the future conventional wars and the same is evident in the recent conflicts happening in various parts of world.”
Commenting on the current situation along the Northern borders, Singh expressed full confidence in the Army for any contingency though, the ongoing talks for peaceful resolution will continue at all levels. The minister complimented the efforts of Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which has led to the incomparable improvement of road communication in the borders both Western and Northern, while working under difficult conditions.
The conference which commenced in a hybrid format on 16 Oct 2023, also focused on issues pertaining to organisational restructuring, logistics, administration and human resource management.
The main highlight of the third day of the conference was the address by the defence minister Rajnath Singh, to the senior leadership of the Indian Army, which was preceded by a brief on “Training Architecture for Indian Army in the New Era including Digitisation and Automation Initiatives”
The minister reasserted the faith of entire Nation in the Indian Army as one of the most trusted and inspiring organisations in the country. He highlighted the significant role being played by the Army in guarding our borders and fighting terrorism apart from providing assistance to the civil administration in every need of hour.
He applauded the Army leadership for successfully taking ahead the ‘Defence and Security’ vision of the Nation and the Prime Minister. Singh commented that these higher leadership conferences are not only beneficial for the Armed Forces but also for the nation as a whole.
Referring to the situation along the Western borders, he complimented the Indian Army’s response to cross border terrorism, however the proxy war by the adversary continues.
He commended the Army for the high standard of operational preparedness and capabilities which he has always been experiencing first hand during his visits to forward areas. He also paid tributes to all the brave hearts for making the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of the motherland and complimented the contributions made by the Army in military diplomacy to further our national security interests by creating sustainable cooperative relationships with foreign Armies.
The minister applauded the Armed Forces for aptly incorporating the latest technologies and expressed appreciation of the Army’s efforts to develop niche technologies in collaboration with civil industries, including premier educational institutions and thereby progressing towards the aim of ‘Modernisation through Indigenisation’ or ‘Atmanirbharta’.
He stated that modernisation of weapons for every soldier through Atmanirbharta is the key focus of the government and the government is completely with the Armed Forces in this aspect.
Defence Diplomacy
Issues related to “Defence diplomacy, indigenisation, information warfare, defence infrastructure and force modernisation should always be contemplated in such a forum said the minister.
War preparedness should be a continuous phenomenon and the armed forces should always be ready for unpredictable for the uncertainties that may crop up any time.