An unihibited and forthright exchange of views, justifiably with the Army at the receiving end. That was how India’s first-ever conclave of Army ex-chiefs was described by one of the retired chief of staff.The old guard is understood to have called attention to the fact that the Army needed to strike a balance between being ‘‘obsessed with the here and now’’ and plan smartly for ‘‘the certainty of future dangers’’. South Block, which had initially planned to hold the conclave in public forum, decided against it at the last minute, foreseeing heated discussions and controversial recommendations. When asked if South Block’s fears were justified, the former chief said: ‘‘We are armymen. Why would we make recommendations that are sky high. We have led this force and are well aware of its strength and limitations.’’The main purpose of the conclave — the Army getting its war doctrine scrutinised by former chiefs — invited long-ranging recommendations and detailed advice. The doctrine is tipped to be finalised during the Army Commanders’ Conference to be held sometime next week.During the morning session at Army Headquarters, Army chief General N.C. Vij and staff officers made presentations on administrative matters and on the future preparedness of the Army for battle and discussions carried on till noon on battle preparedness, the Army’s abilities to deal with emerging asymetrical threats, dealing with nuclear weapons, operations involving militants and terrorists, and the possible shaping of future operations. South Block is, however, tight-lipped on the specifics of the recommendations that the former Army chiefs made to Gen N.C. Vij, though sources said that today’s meeting deliberated on “macro-level” issues.The closing session on Saturday is likely to call attention to more specific issues, which include the Army’s arsenal, force level, current capabilities, equipment being made available, the Army’s role in international diplomacy and the rejuvenation of public perception of army as a career. The army also wants advice from the retired officials on the perceived obsoloscence of certain strategies that have been adopted over the last decade and to reconcile them with modern methods of warfare.
