New Delhi, Sept 16 (UNI) Terming India’s defence sector as an amalgamation of the “offensive and defensive capabilities”, Defence Minister Rajnath today called upon the Commanders to be proactive in their approach and strive to build the Sudarshan Chakra as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Stating that a committee has been formed to examine the project and prepare a “realistic action plan”, the 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 to fruition.
The Defence Minister addressed the Combined Commanders’ Conference 2025 in Kolkata, a Defence Ministry statement said.
Rajnath 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 emerging security landscape.
Asserting that the nature of warfare is continuously evolving, and the recent global conflicts have underlined the relevance of a “technology-friendly” military, the Minister said, “Wars of today are so sudden and unpredictable that it is extremely difficult to foretell its 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”.
Highlighting that the country’s defence sector is centered around modernisation, operational readiness, technological superiority and credible deterrence, he called for focusing on the mantra of “JAI (Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation)” given by Prime Minister in the inaugural session of the conference yesterday.
He batted for deeper engagement with the industry and academia in developing future-ready technologies. He reaffirmed PM Modi’s vision to further enhance the role of the private sector in creating a robust defence innovation ecosystem and making the domestic industry the biggest and best in the world.
Rajnath underscored the importance of jointness and synergy among the armed forces as well as with other agencies, in line with the “whole of nation” approach, terming it as “essential” to deal with future challenges.
He mentioned about the creation of Tri-Service Logistics Nodes and Tri-Service Logistic Management Application to promote integration and jointness in the defence sector, while also highlighting the attention being paid to greater civil-military fusion.
“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,” he said.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Rajnath stated that self-reliance is not a slogan, but a necessity, which is key to strategic autonomy. He emphasised that defence indigenisation under self-reliance is fuelling economic growth, generating employment, and enhancing the capacity of shipyards, aerospace clusters and defence corridors.
He also spoke about his approval to the Defence Procurement Manual 2025 which aims to streamline the procurement process.
Present were 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.
