Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday asked the top military leadership to analyse the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts and the current situation in Bangladesh, predict the problems that the country may face in the future and stay prepared to deal with the “unexpected”.

He emphasised the need for 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, which are posing a challenge to peace and stability in the region.

The defence minister was presiding over the maiden Joint Commanders’ Conference in Lucknow on the second and final day of the apex-level military leadership meeting. He commended the armed forces for their invaluable contribution to 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’, Mr 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 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.

“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,” he said.

Mr Singh called upon the commanders to identify and include the right mix of traditional and modern warfare equipment in the armed forces arsenal. He stressed 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.

Mr 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 and 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.