Gen K Sundarji was at the helm during two critical operational chapters of the Indian forces: Operation Brasstacks and Operation Pawan. Operation Brasstacks was mostly along our western borders, and perhaps the most probing assessment of our capabilities that we had ever undertaken. He also was in the hot-seat when we decided to launch Operation Pawan, across the straits in Sri Lanka.
The 4th General Sundarji Memorial Lecture was organised by the Indian Army in Manekshaw Centre to commemorate the legacy of one of India’s foremost military thinkers General K Sundarji. The lecture was conducted under the aegis of Mechanised Infantry Centre & School (MIC&S) and Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).
The event was attended by serving and retired officers of the three Services as well as literati and various think tanks. The lecture remembered the dynamic and visionary General K Sundarji, the 13th Chief of the Army Staff, who is also fondly called as the ‘Father of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment’.
General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) delivered the keynote address and underscored the foresight of General Sundarji. He highlighted General Sundarji’s vision in the fields of digitisation of the battlefield, Information Warfare, technology infusion, conventional strategies and force structure, reflected in his work ‘Vision 2100’.
The COAS while underscoring the thoughts of General Sundarji on transformation, asserted that, “The Indian Army is alive to the imperative of transformation, and it is with a progressive outlook, that we intend, to not only change, but to change at a good pace too. The holistic transformation of the Indian Army, that we put into effect two years ago, is part of our efforts to give shape to a modern, agile, adaptive, technology enabled and self-reliant future ready force”.
The eminent speakers Shri NN Vohra, former Governor of J&K, shared his experiences with General Sundarji & also expressed his thoughts on ‘Need for National Security Policy’ while Lieutenant General Subrata Saha (Retired), former Deputy Chief of Army Staff and Member National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) delivered a talk on, “Modernising India’s Armed Forces: Lessons from Gen K Sundarji”. The informative talks were followed by an invigorating Question & Answer session.
General Sundarji, an accomplished soldier and a visionary is known for his deep insights & strategic foresights into future warfare and security paradigms. His contributions went far beyond his distinguished service in ‘olive greens’. The lecture was a befitting occasion to remember the former COAS.
Team Bharatshakti
