Rajnath's military mantra: Synergised, swift, proportionate response

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday called upon the top military brass to analyse the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as well as the current situation in Bangladesh to "predict" any future problems and stay prepared to deal with the "unexpected".

In an address at the maiden joint commanders conference in Lucknow, he also said that the armed forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace and emphasised on "synergised, swift and proportionate response to provocations", in comments that came amid the lingering border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

The defence minister pitched for deeper analysis of the situation along India's border with China and developments in the neighbouring countries, which are posing a challenge to peace and stability in the region.

The conference with the theme 'Sashakt aur Surakshit Bharat: Transforming the Armed Forces' held extensive discussions on the contours of the government's ambitious plans to roll out 'Integrated Theatre Commands'.

In his remarks, Singh, in presence of the chiefs of the three services, stressed on evolving a joint military vision as part of preparation to confront future security challenges and urged the commanders to identify and include the right mix of traditional and modern military hardware in the arsenal.

On the evolving regional security matrix in the region, Singh said India is a peace-loving nation and the armed forces need to be prepared for war in order to preserve peace, according to the defence ministry.

It said he stressed upon the significance of evolving joint military vision and preparing for challenges that the country may face in future wars, while emphasising on "synergised, swift and proportionate response to provocations."

"Referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and 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'," the ministry said in a statement.

Singh emphasised on the need of a broader and deeper analysis by the top military leadership in view of the situation along the Northern border and the happenings in neighbouring countries, it said.

"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," Singh said.

"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," he said.

"For this, we should have a strong and robust national security component. We should have fail-proof deterrence," Singh added.

The two-day joint conference began on Wednesday.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane were among those who attended the deliberations.

In his remarks, Singh commended the armed forces for their "invaluable contribution" in safeguarding national interests and advancing the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India).

The defence minister also appreciated the efforts being undertaken for furthering jointness and integration among the three services.

The defence minister stressed on capability development in space and electronic warfare domains, 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.

Singh listed the steps being taken to achieve 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence and reiterated the government's commitment to equip the armed forces with state-of-the-art indigenous weapons and platforms.

Singh also voiced the government's resolve towards the welfare and well-being of the soldiers, both serving and retired, and their families.

The conference brought together the combined apex-level military leadership of the country, who deliberated upon the current and future security challenges facing the nation.

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 the work process during peace and war.

The 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, the ministry said.

It said 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 ministry said.

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