Union Defence Minister Emphasizes Preparedness and Innovation at Joint Commanders' Conference

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the maiden Joint Commanders’ Conference in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on the second and final day of the apex-level military leadership meeting on September 05, 2024. He commended the Armed Forces for their invaluable contribution in safeguarding national interests and advancing the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, and appreciated the efforts being undertaken for furthering jointness and integration among the three Services.

In line with the theme of the conference, ‘Sashakt aur Surakshit Bharat : Transforming the Armed Forces’, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that India is a peace loving nation and the Armed Forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace. He stressed upon the significance of evolving joint military vision and preparing for the type of challenges the country may face in future wars, while emphasising on synergised, swift and proportionate response to provocations.

Referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine & Israel-Hamas conflicts and the current situation in Bangladesh, the Raksha Mantri exhorted the Commanders to analyse these episodes, predict the problems that the country may face in the future, and stay prepared to deal with the “unexpected”. He emphasised on the need of a broader & deeper analysis by the top military leadership in view of the situation along the Northern border and the happenings in neighbouring countries, which are posing a challenge to peace & stability in the region.

“Despite global volatility, India is enjoying a rare peace dividend and it is developing peacefully. However, due to the increasing number of challenges, we need to remain alert. It is important that we keep our peace intact during Amrit Kaal. 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 should have a strong and robust national security component. We should have fail-proof deterrence,” Shri Rajnath Singh said.

The Defence Minister called upon the Commanders to identify and include the right mix of traditional and modern warfare equipment in the Armed Forces arsenal. He stressed on capability development in space and electronic warfare, describing them as integral to tackle modern-day challenges. He also urged the military leadership to focus on increasing the use of latest technological advancements in the fields of data and artificial intelligence. “These components do not participate in any conflict or war directly. Their indirect participation is deciding the course of warfare to a great extent,” he added.

Shri Rajnath Singh enumerated the steps being taken to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence and reiterated the Government’s commitment to strengthen the sector, and equip the Armed Forces with state-of-the-art indigenous weapons & platforms. He once again voiced the Government’s resolve towards the welfare and well-being of the soldiers, both serving and retired, and their families.

The conference, which commenced on September 04, 2024, brought together the combined apex-level military leadership of the country, who deliberated upon the current and future challenges to the nation in the context of national security. The focus of the conference was on future capability building including organisation structures for joint and integrated response and ushering in efficiency, transparency and accountability in work process during peace and war. Deliberations spanned across a broad spectrum of contemporary issues such as theaterisation, indigenisation and technological developments including those in the field of robotics and Artificial Intelligence enabled autonomous weapon systems.

Special attention was given to the strategic importance of cyber and space-based capabilities in modern warfare, underlining the necessity of preparing for future conflicts that will increasingly span multiple domains. The conference provided an opportunity for the commanders to review national and international developments that impact India, while discussing measures to further improve the country’s defence capabilities.

The Defence Minister also launched eight innovative applications including e-Museum and e-Granthalaya along with one publication on ‘Colonial Practises and the Armed Forces - A Review’ marking a significant step towards greater cohesion and synergy among the three Services.

The conference was also attended by Rajya Raksha Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Dr Niten Chandra, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Shri Sugata Ghosh Dastidar and other senior civil and military officials of Ministry of Defence.