‘Need to be ready for war’: Rajnath to Armed Forces
Lucknow: 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 here, 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 Defence Minister 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. 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.
