Army commanders to meet in Sikkim forward area on Thursday

The two-phase Army Commanders' Conference during which the Army will review current operational preparedness and deliberate on critical strategies is set to begin in Sikkim on Thursday.

The second ACC this year is being organised in a hybrid mode, with the first phase planned on October 10-11 in a forward location at Gangtok, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Top army commanders will brainstorm conceptual issues, and review and assess the "overall security situation" during the key conference.

"As the nation faces numerous regional security challenges, the upcoming Army Commanders' Conference scheduled to commence in Sikkim tomorrow (Thursday), assumes significance," it said.

Conducting the conference of senior commanders at a forward location underlines the Indian Army's "focus on ground realities", the ministry said.

The commanders' conclave in a forward area in Sikkim, which is close to the Line of Actual Control, comes amid the lingering border row in eastern Ladakh.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh "will deliver a keynote address to the senior leadership at Gangtok and will be briefed on the emerging security challenges and the response of the Army in the security domain," it said.

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, during an interaction session at Bharat Shakti Defence Conclave here on September 19, said after the May 2020 incident, his force thought if there was a case of "rebalancing", adding four years since then, it has gone through its first phase while its second phase is "required".

He had also emphasised that the location of the upcoming conference will be "indicative of our intent".

In the second phase of the conference, the senior hierarchy of the army will congregate in Delhi on October 28-29.

The conference will serve as a forum for senior commanders to "review current operational preparedness, deliberate on critical strategies and outline future directives".

During the first phase of the conference, discussions will focus on critical national security issues and strategic aspects aimed at sharpening the army's warfighting capabilities, the statement said.

Major issues to be deliberated during the two-day session will include the growing importance of a multi-pronged national security strategy that incorporates the integration of civil-military fusion and the Diplomatic, Information, Military, and Economic (DIME) pillars to counter contemporary threats.

Besides the need for developing low-cost technologies and alternate strategies to counter the rapidly evolving character of warfare, will also be discussed, it added.

Aligned with the army's goal of technology absorption, the senior hierarchy will deliberate on various issues including the infusion of technology in professional military education, and explore the possibilities of recruiting domain specialists in niche domains, the statement said.

Other issues under deliberation will focus on enhancing the overall organisational health and easing the processes of the field army to make them more resilient and responsive.

"The second phase of the conference will feature a discussion on evolving geopolitical landscape followed by brainstorming on operational matters and meetings of various Board of Governors to deliberate upon welfare measures and schemes for the financial security of serving soldiers, veterans and their families," it said.

The senior hierarchy of the army will also be addressed by chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan, chief of the naval staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.

"This gathering of the Indian Army's senior leadership reinforces the army's enduring resolve to stay prepared, adapt swiftly, and defend with precision to ensure the Indian Army remains progressive, forward-looking, adaptive and future-ready," it said.