Lucknow. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday called upon top military officials to analyse the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as well as the current situation in Bangladesh to anticipate any future problems and be prepared to deal with “unexpected situations”.
Addressing the first joint commanders’ conference here, Singh said that the armed forces need to be prepared for war to maintain peace and “emphasized on taking coordinated, quick and appropriate action on incidents of provocation”. The Defense Minister’s statement came amid the ongoing border dispute with China in eastern Ladakh. Singh emphasized on in-depth analysis of the situation on India’s border with China and the developments in neighboring countries, which are becoming a challenge to peace and stability in the region.
The conference, organised on the theme ‘Strong and Secure India: Transformation of Armed Forces’, saw extensive discussions on the outline of the government’s ambitious plan to launch ‘Integrated Theatre Command’. He said, “For this, we must have a strong and robust national security structure.” He also called upon the commanders to identify and incorporate the right mix of traditional and modern warfare equipment in the arsenal of the armed forces. He emphasised on capacity development in space and electronic warfare and called them integral to deal with modern challenges.
According to the Ministry of Defense, on the emerging regional security scenario in the region, Singh said that India is a peace-loving nation and the armed forces need to be prepared for war to maintain peace. The ministry said in a statement, “Referring to the ongoing conflicts between Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas and the current situation in Bangladesh, the Defense Minister called upon the commanders to analyze these events, anticipate future problems facing the country and be prepared to deal with ‘unexpected’ situations. ” It said that Singh emphasized the need for comprehensive and in-depth analysis by the top military leadership in view of the situation on the northern border and the events taking place in neighboring countries.
Singh said, “Despite global instability, India is developing peacefully in a relatively calm environment. However, we need to remain vigilant due to the increasing number of challenges.” He said, “It is important that we maintain an atmosphere of peace during Amritkaal. We need to focus on our present, keep an eye on the activities happening around us at present and focus on being future-oriented. For this, we must have a strong and robust national security component. We must have an infallible defense capability.” The two-day conference began on Wednesday.
The conference was also attended by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Choudhary and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. In his address, Singh praised the “invaluable contribution” of the armed forces in protecting national interests and furthering the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. The Defence Minister also praised the efforts being made to enhance coordination between the three forces.
He emphasised on capability development in space and electronic warfare areas and called them integral to deal with modern challenges. He also urged the military leadership to focus on increasing the use of the latest technological advancements in the field of data and artificial intelligence.
Singh, while detailing the steps being taken to achieve ‘self-reliance’ in the defence sector, reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthen the sector and equip the armed forces with state-of-the-art indigenous weapons and platforms. He reiterated the government’s resolve towards the welfare and well-being of both serving and retired soldiers and their families.
The conference was attended by the country’s top-level military leadership, who discussed the current and future challenges facing the nation in terms of national security. The ministry said that the conference gave the commanders an opportunity to review national and international developments and also discussed measures to further improve the country’s defense capabilities.