Rajnath Singh hails 1971 war as a ‘glorious chapter’

Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Indian Air Force Conclave at Bengaluru’s Yelahanka Air Force Station on Friday, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan

Bengaluru Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday termed the 1971 war with Pakistan a glorious chapter in India’s military history, asserting that the synergy and cooperation between the tri-services and the government led to its success.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh watches a photo exhibition during the celebrations of 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh of 1971 war victory against Pakistan', at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on Friday. (PTI)

“The 1971 war and India’s victory in it are special,....as the main intention behind it was humanity and protection of democracy,” he said after inaugurating the Indian Air Force Conclave at Bengaluru’s Yelahanka Air Force Station, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan.

“The congruence of our politico-military thought and actions led to the birth of a new nation (Bangladesh) in Asia, ending injustice and atrocities,” he added.

The 1971 war recorded the largest surrender of soldiers in the world, after the second world war, with more than 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendering before the Indian forces.

Singh further highlighted the Centre’s efforts to ensure further integration of India’s armed forces and related establishments at all levels, aimed at readying the country’s military forces for any circumstances in the future.

“As you are aware, we are taking the initiatives for further integration of our armed forces and Defence Ministry, towards a logical end. In the days to come, as the follow-up process, the integration will be ensured in the theatre and in all the levels below it,” Singh said. “The government’s intention is to ready our armed forces to any circumstances and is moving in this direction with speed,” he added.

Also present at the event, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, raised concerns over a myriad of external security challenges facing India, especially China’s technological advances in the cyber and space domains.

“India faces a myriad of external security challenges with deep regional interlinkages, marred by the legacy of unresolved boundary disputes, the culture of competition, and challenge to undermining India’s strategic space,” he said.

Talking about bolstering the security forces, Rawat said: “And gradually we’ll look at the future requirements of whether we look at only the military aspect of cyber or for the country as a whole. Because it threatens everybody. If the banking, railway, power grids, any of the systems fail it will affect our warfighting ability,” he said.

Mirroring General Rawat’s sentiments, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said that India should work towards strengthening its capabilities in the cyber and space domains, but stressed on the “disruptive effect” of artificial intelligence, robotics and information warfare on any country’s existing doctrines and policies.

Kumar further pointed to China’s rapidly increasing capabilities in the cyber and space sectors. “In December 2015, China set up the PLA strategic force which has the capabilities to influence electromagnetic spectrum, cyber and space. All this is changing the way war was fought 50 years ago. Today we go non-conventional ways,” he said, adding that China has prioritised intelligence in digitised war.

“Dominance in electromagnetic spectrum, cyber, space, autonomy, drones and unmanned aerial vehicles are its priorities. Specifically, on cyber, it already is determining influence on warfare,” he said.

Others present at the event including Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka.

WIth PTI inputs