Outlining the Indian Army’s efforts towards self-reliance in enhancing its military capabilities, General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), at the National Leadership Conclave underscored the significance of comprehensive national power in a nation’s growth.
His keynote address at the event organized by the All-India Management Association on April 23, focused on the “Relevance of Hard Power in India’s Rise”. He noted that while economic strength serves as the foundation of growth, military prowess is essential for safeguarding national interests. He underlined the evolving geostrategic landscape characterized by rapid changes and geopolitical power plays, reaffirming the relevance of hard power in ensuring national security.
Highlighting the Indian Army’s role as a deterrent against conflict and its preparedness to respond to threats across the spectrum of conflict, General Pande stressed the importance of self-reliance in defence. He cited the disruptions in the global supply chain during the pandemic and the lessons drawn from ongoing conflicts, emphasizing the imperative for India to reduce its dependency on external sources for defence requirements.
In pursuit of self-reliance and modernization, General Pande outlined the Indian Army’s transformation initiatives, which encompass force restructuring, modernization, improvement of systems and processes, human resource management, and promotion of jointness and integration with sister services. He emphasized the need to embrace disruptive technologies and foster an indigenous defence-industry ecosystem to achieve self-reliance.
The Indian Army’s vision for the future involves transforming into a modern, agile, and technology-enabled force capable of deterring and winning wars across various domains of operation. He highlighted the importance of absorbing and indigenizing critical technologies to bridge the gap between imported and indigenous defence systems.
In conclusion, General Manoj Pande reiterated the Indian Army’s commitment to “Swadeshikaran Se Sashaktikaran” (empowerment through indigenization) and called for collective efforts from all stakeholders to strengthen India’s defence capabilities. He stressed the need for a partnership approach between the defence industry and the armed forces to realize India’s vision of self-reliance in defence.