Top Army commanders discuss operational preparedness, critical strategic issues

NEW DELHI: Top Army commanders deliberated on critical strategic issues affecting border security and the hinterland during a two-day key conference that concluded here on Tuesday.

The 1.3 million-strong Army’s senior leadership also resolved to accelerate the ongoing transformational initiatives to boost its overall combat capabilities.

The Army Commanders’ Conference happened at a time when troop disengagement at the two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh is in its “final stages”, following a key agreement firmed up between India and China.

And it concluded on a day, when security forces in the morning gunned down two terrorists holed up in a forest area in the Akhnoor sector in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the number of terrorists killed in the 27-hour gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) to three.

Over the last two days, the Indian Army’s senior hierarchy engaged in in-depth discussions on operational and administrative issues, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The conference witnessed the Army’s “senior leadership deliberating on critical strategic issues affecting both border security and the hinterland,” it said.

The phase one of the Army Commanders’ Conference (ACC) 2024 took place in Sikkim on October 10 and 11, while the second phase was hosted in Delhi.

“The current operational preparedness, critical strategies & future directives will be deliberated in the #ACC with emphasis on facets of national security especially the technological advancements in the #IndianArmy,” the Army posted on X in the afternoon.

“General Anil Chauhan, #CDS addressed the audience on the imperatives of Transformation in Jointness and Integration. Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, #CNS highlighted the aspects of #MaritimeSecurity, challenges and roles played by the #IndianNavy in the Indian Ocean Region #IOR with an emphasis on interoperability,” it wrote on the social media platform.

The conference reaffirmed the Indian Army’s unwavering commitment to readiness and adaptability, as the senior leadership “resolved to accelerate ongoing transformational initiatives” and actively contribute to various national endeavours.

Emphasising a forward-looking approach, the Indian Army remains fully dedicated to preparing for present and emerging challenges, ensuring a progressive, resilient, and future-ready force aligned with India’s strategic interests, it said.

Navy Chief Adm Tripathi, in his address, discussed the “rapidly shifting” dynamics in geopolitics, technology, and tactics.

He emphasised on the need for the armed forces to “remain proactive and adaptable to these changes, particularly within the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions”.

The Navy chief highlighted the naval force’s preparedness to tackle maritime challenges and their cascading effects on land operations, underscoring the importance of “maintaining operational superiority in these strategic waters”, the statement said.

CDS Gen Chauhan reflected on the recent success of the Joint Commanders’ Conference in Lucknow.

Reviewing the current security situation, Gen Chauhan stressed the importance of jointness and the roadmap for enhanced integration across domains, which is critical for future warfare and effective operations.

He outlined the step-by-step approach towards integration, starting with cross-service cooperation, progressing to a ‘Joint Culture’, and ultimately achieving full integration for joint operations.

The CDS reiterated the need for operational readiness to counter emerging challenges, underscoring modernisation and strategic autonomy as pivotal goals, especially within the framework of Vision 2047, the statement said.

During the conference, the Army leadership also deliberated on welfare measures and financial security schemes for soldiers, veterans, and their families, while various Boards of Governors met to discuss these critical issues.

The conference concluded with the distribution of awards to military stations in several categories. In the realm of aviation flight safety, 257 Army Aviation Squadron and 663 Army Aviation Squadron were awarded best-in-flight safety trophies, it added. (PTI)