At the biannual Army Commanders’ Conference, which concluded on April 2, the Indian Army decided to undertake organisational and procedural transformation. The primary objective of this transformation is to ensure that the force can effectively adopt and integrate niche technology to develop futuristic capabilities and achieve Atmanirbharta (self-reliance). The Ministry of Defence announced that as part of this effort, the Army Design Bureau (ADB) will be expanded, and separate dedicated cells of the bureau will be established at command headquarters to facilitate this transformation.
“To further bolster the initiative, the option of creating a separate fund head will be explored. In addition, test bed brigades/formations will be nominated to ensure greater efficiency and continuity in trials and finalisation of trial reports,” the statement said. It added that future procurements would include aspects catering for holistic sustenance requirements during contract finalisation to ensure lifetime support. It was also decided to explore more opportunities to collaborate with other ministries for optimal utilisation of resources and combine efforts for enhanced capability building and infrastructure development in border areas.
In their strategic foresight, the Army commanders have decided to explore the potential of establishing a tailor-made organisation. This organisation, designed to operate as an adversarial force and conduct realistic war games and training, holds the promise of significantly enhancing the force’s combat capabilities.
“To ensure realistic wargames and training, the feasibility of creating a tailor-made organisation to function as an Adversarial Force will be explored,” the statement said.
They have also decided to reform the Army’s policies for managing human resources. This move will make it easier to integrate niche technology with appropriate training infrastructure, further bolstering the Army’s readiness for the future.
“The revised policy will be more innovative in meeting the requirements of a tech-enabled, future-ready Indian Army,” the Army said in a statement,
The top leadership of the Army, Chaired by Army Chief General Manoj Pande, brainstormed a wide array of security-related aspects, including ongoing transformation initiatives, leveraging technology and innovation for capability development, enhancing operational preparedness, addressing emerging security and HR-related issues, and enhancing operational preparedness and jointness.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari also addressed the army brass. Chauhan asked the army leadership to embrace jointness, integration, and technological absorption. The Air Force and Navy Chiefs emphasised the importance of enhanced jointness, citing the lessons emerging from contemporary conflicts.
“They underscored the importance of synergy at the grass-roots level between the services for optimum operational outcomes. Sharing the highlights of ongoing initiatives in their respective services, the chiefs emphasised the necessity to ensure seamless coordination during joint operations and exercises,” the statement said.
“The senior leadership reviewed the progress made on the ongoing transformative initiatives and identified future thrust areas. The Commanders expressed their satisfaction with the steady pace of achieving ‘Atmanirbharta’ in line with the national resolve,” the Indian Army said after the two-day deliberations in Delhi.
Ravi Shankar
