The recent global conflicts highlighted the significance of a “tech-friendly” military, said the Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, on Tuesday, while asking the armed forces to stay on alert and ready to deal with any invisible challenges that come their way. Singh noted that the nature of warfare is continuously evolving. The remarks of the defence minister were made during his address at the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) 2025 in Kolkata.
He asked the Armed Forces to be ready to deal with "invisible challenges emanating from unconventional threats such as information, ideological, ecological, and biological warfare”, and emphasised the need for constant assessment of the changes taking place across the globe, and its impact on the security system of the country, in view of the turbulent global order, regional instability and the emerging security landscape.
"Wars of today are so sudden and unpredictable that it is extremely difficult to foretell their duration. It can be two months, a year, or even five years. We need to be prepared.... We need to ensure that our surge capacity remains sufficient,” he said.
"Operation Sindoor has demonstrated that strength, strategy, and self-reliance are the three pillars that will give India the power it needs in the 21st century. Today, we have the capability to face any challenge with the help of indigenous platforms and systems coupled with the indomitable courage of our soldiers. This is the real strength of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” Singh added.
Terming India’s defence sector as an amalgamation of offensive and defensive capabilities, the defence minister called upon the commanders to be proactive in their approach and strive to build the ‘Sudarshan Chakra’, an air defence mechanism, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A committee has already been formed for the project, which will also prepare a realistic plan. The defence minister suggested devising a medium-term plan for the next five years and a long-term plan for the next ten years to bring the vision of ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ to fruition.
He also underscored the importance of synergy among the Indian Armed Forces, along with the other intelligence agencies.
Besides Singh, the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and other senior officers were present at the conference, which is being held from September 15 to 17.
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