Observing that the global geopolitical environment was dynamic and posed numerous challenges, President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday asked the armed forces to be well prepared to tackle any adverse situation.
”There is a need to have a deeper understanding of national and global issues. We not only have to secure our national interests but also prepare for new security challenges like cyber warfare, technology enabled terrorism and climate change,” she said.
“Updated knowledge and cutting-edge technologies based on extensive research are required to be applied,” she added, while addressing the faculty and course members of the 63rd National Defence College Course who called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The President noted that India’s security concerns today extended way beyond preservation of territorial integrity and encompassed other dimensions of well-being dealing with economy, environment, energy security, and cyber security among others.
She said the role of the armed forces has also expanded beyond traditional military matters. Future conflicts in the complex defence and security environment would require a more integrated multi-state and multi-agency approach.
The NDC Course, therefore, played an important role in preparing military and the civil services officers to deal with the complex security environment of the future in a comprehensive manner.
President Murmu noted that the National Defence College course was a one-of-its-kind course encompassing areas of national security and strategy, along with governance, technology, history and economics.
She expressed confidence that the holistic approach of learning at the NDC – comprising research, classroom discussions, insights from eminent speakers, and on-ground exposure through national and international visits, has enriched course members in terms of facing challenges.