PM Modi reviews operational readiness of armed forces in Bhopal

Speaking at the Combined Commanders’ Conference in Bhopal, the PM carried out a security review and asked the military to stay prepared for new and emerging threats that focused on a raft of issues, including evolving a joint military vision for the futur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday assessed the operational readiness of the Indian Armed forces in the backdrop of the lingering border row with China.

PM Modi addressed at the Combined Commanders’ Conference in Bhopal (ANi Photo)

Speaking at the Combined Commanders’ Conference in Bhopal, the PM carried out a security review and asked the military to stay prepared for new and emerging threats that focused on a raft of issues, including evolving a joint military vision for the future, theaterisation, self-reliance, modernisation, and cyber security, officials familiar with the matter said.

Addressing the country’s top military brass on the concluding day of the three-day conference, PM Modi said that steps were being taken to sharpen the combat potential of the armed forces with new weapons and technologies, his comments coming a day after the defence ministry signed deals worth ₹32,100 crore to boost the capabilities of the armed forces with indigenous military hardware.

“During the final day, various topics, including digitisation, cyber security, challenges of social media, Aatmanirbharta, absorption of Agniveers and jointness were discussed,” the defence ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan briefed the Prime Minister on discussions held during the conference. The conference was based on the theme Ready, Resurgent, Relevant. Defence minister Rajnath Singh, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande and top commanders of the three services attended the conference.

This year’s conference was special as inputs from field units were sought on contemporary issues, including the way forward for greater integration among the three services, which is the top priority for the government, the defence ministry said.

“These inputs were deliberated in detail by the military commanders,” it said.

The top conference came at a time when the government is pushing in Parliament the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023, that seeks to empower it to notify the setting up of inter-services organisations, including joint services commands - a key goal of the ongoing theaterisation drive- consisting of units and personnel drawn from the three services, and placed under a commander-in-chief.

It will also empower the commanders of tri-services organisations to take action against service personnel of any of the three services - serving under existing or future joint commands or institutions - to ensure discipline and effective discharge of duties.

Efforts to push theaterisation gathered steam again after Chauhan took over as CDS in September 2022, even though the momentum was hit after his predecessor, General Bipin Rawat, died in a helicopter crash in December 2021.

In a new development, the conference involved the participation of soldiers from every command of the three services, and the Port Blair-based Andaman and Nicobar Command, the officials said. The scope of the conference was expanded this year as “a few multi-layered and interactive sessions” involved these soldiers, they said.

Modi also lauded the armed forces for their role in nation-building and providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) assistance to other countries, it added.

The conference took place at a time when India and China have been locked in a border row for almost three years. Despite four rounds of disengagement from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15), the Indian and Chinese armies still have more than 60,000 troops each and advanced weaponry deployed in the Ladakh theatre.

The Indian and Chinese armies have held 17 rounds of talks so far, but problems at Depsang in the Daulet Beg Oldi sector and Charding Nullah Junction (CNJ) in the Demchok sector are still on the negotiating table. The two sides have been locked in a standoff for almost three years.