Army Commanders’ Conference: Army prepared to deal with any contingency in eastern Ladakh: Rajnath

The comments come days after India and China held the 20th round of military talks in eastern Ladakh. With no apparent forward movement in the talks, the Army is now preparing to go ahead with its winter posture at the LAC which would include a significant redeployment of troops.

At the event — which started in a hybrid format Monday — the Army leadership will discuss existing security scenarios, situations along the borders and in the hinterland, and challenges for the security apparatus. A Defence Ministry statement Wednesday said the conference is also focusing on issues pertaining to organisational restructuring, logistics, administration and human resource management.

Addressing the Army leadership, the Defence Minister lauded the efforts of the Border Roads Organisation, saying it has been working in difficult conditions and has been instrumental in strengthening border infrastructure, including improvement of road communication along the borders with China and Pakistan.

Talking about the situation along borders with Pakistan, the Defence Minister said a proxy war by the adversary continues even as he lauded the Army’s response to cross-border terrorism.

“I compliment the excellent synergy between the CAPF/ Police forces and the Army in tackling the menace of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. “The synergised operations in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are contributing to increased stability and peace in the region and the same should continue, and for this I again compliment the Indian Army.”

He said unconventional and asymmetric warfare, including hybrid war will be part of the future conventional wars and that is evident in the recent conflicts happening in various parts of the world.

“This necessitates that Armed Forces should keep all these facets in consideration while planning and formulating strategies,” he said, adding that it is important to keep learning from recent and past incidents including global ones.

“Expect the unexpected and thereby plan, strategise and prepare accordingly.” He said the Army has maintained a high standard of operational preparedness and capabilities which he has experienced during his visits to forward areas.

He also spoke about the Army’s contributions in military diplomacy to further India’s national security interests by creating sustainable cooperative relationships with foreign Armies and appreciated the force’s efforts to develop niche technologies in collaboration with civil industries, including premier educational institutions and thereby progressing towards self-reliance.

He said issues related to defence diplomacy, indigenisation, information warfare, defence infrastructure and force modernisation should always be contemplated in such a forum.

“War preparedness should be a continuous phenomenon and we should always be ready for unpredictable uncertainties that may crop up any time,” he said.

“We should always be strengthening our fighting skills and weapons technologies so as to act effectively wherever called for,” he said, adding the government is committed to facilitate the Army in their forward movement on the road to reforms and capability modernisation.