CDS Chauhan reiterates Armed Forces' commitment to continually transform

Kolkata: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan on Wednesday reiterated the commitment of the Armed Forces to continually transform in order to remain agile, self-reliant and future-ready.

In his concluding remarks at the end of the three-day 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) 2025 in Kolkata, he highlighted the need to institutionalise reforms as an ongoing process, aimed at preparing the forces to effectively tackle challenges in an increasingly complex global environment, an official statement said.

It said that the successful conduct of CCC 2025 marks a major step in transforming the Armed Forces into a more integrated, technologically advanced, and operationally agile force - "fully capable of addressing multi-domain threats, safeguarding national interests and contributing to nation building, global peace and stability".

"The CDS provided a detailed update on the year of reforms, elaborating on the action plans formulated in line with the Prime Minister’s and Raksha Mantri’s directions," the statement said.

It said that the discussion emphasised enhancing jointness and integration across the Services, "fostering interoperability, streamlining decision-making and reforming institutional structures for space, cyber, information and special operations domains".

The session underlined the critical importance of adopting a technology-led approach to modern warfare, with innovations integrated seamlessly into operational doctrine, the statement said.

Maintaining that the CCC plays a pivotal role in shaping the Armed Forces' future roadmap, guiding capability development and ensuring alignment with national security priorities, it said that this year’s theme, 'Year of Reforms - Transforming for the Future', reflected a focused agenda to prepare the forces for emerging challenges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurating the CCC at the Eastern Command headquarters Vijay Durg (formerly Fort William) on Monday, emphasised jointness, self-reliance and innovation for enhanced operational readiness of the Armed Forces, the statement said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over a session where an in-depth performance review was made of current force readiness, capability development, and a strategic roadmap for future wars..

It focused on the "impact of the current geopolitical flux on India’s security environment, emphasising the need for agility, resilience and foresight in defence planning," the statement said.

Lauding the dedication of the Armed Forces in safeguarding the nation, the PM and the Defence Minister underlined the need for continuous reforms and technological self-reliance, particularly emphasising indigenous development in defence technology and manufacturing.

The CCC also discussed the evolving character of future warfare, examining the shifting paradigms of multi-domain operations in the context of rapid technological advancements..

A comprehensive review of major reforms of the last two years and transformational steps was carried out by the CDS, it said.

Sessions during the conference also discussed the strategic neighborhood, analysing the evolving security dynamics across India’s borders and beyond.