The overall security situation, particularly on the borders with China and Pakistan, and the lessons to be learnt from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts will be high on the agenda of the upcoming Army Commanders’ Conference here.

The conference, first for the year 2024, will be organised in virtual mode on 28 March and thereafter in physical mode on 1-2 April. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also address and interact with senior military leadership during the conference.

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The conference serves as a pivotal forum for the apex leadership of the Indian Army to brainstorm conceptual issues and review and assess the overall security situation. It will lay down key priorities facilitating important policy decisions, to chart the course for future direction.

Starting on 28 March, the conference will be chaired by the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Manoj Pande at New Delhi with Army Commanders participating in virtual mode from their respective Command Headquarters.

The deliberations will be on critical agendas impacting the field army and veterans’ welfare. The conference will also feature talks by distinguished Subject Matter Experts on the evolving geopolitical landscape and ramifications for national security.

During the conduct in physical mode on 1 April, the Army’s top leadership will engage in intensive brainstorming sessions. The sessions will be aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness, the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability and investing in training and development programmes to ensure readiness for future challenges.

The brainstorming session will also encompass issues concerning the welfare of service personnel aimed at enhancing the quality of life for soldiers and their families. This will be followed by a meeting of the Investment Advisory Committee of Army Group Insurance, chaired by the COAS, and attended by several experts in the field of financial management. The committee will deliberate on various welfare measures and schemes for the financial security of serving soldiers, veterans and their families.

On 2 April, the defence minister will deliver a keynote address. The senior hierarchy of the Army will also be addressed by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.