Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday that the theaterisation plan is ready to be presented to the decision-makers. “Today, we have a great consensus among three Service Chiefs and the CDS. We have been able to devise a complete structure and planning, and now, at this stage, as the CDS has also confirmed, we are ready to present our plan to the decision-makers – how we want to go ahead,” Gen Dwivedi said.
Speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue in New Delhi, the Army Chief informed us that the ground feedback on the Agnipath scheme is excellent, and the Indian Army is happy with it. “Regarding the Agnipath recruitment scheme, we will have one lakh Agniveers by this December. The ground feedback is excellent. Commanders are very happy with it,” he said.
The Army Chief spoke at length about India’s relationship with China, noting that the situation along the border remains tense and uncertain. Speaking about the current situation, the Army Chief said, “It’s stable, but it is not normal, and it is sensitive.” He emphasized India’s position on restoring conditions to the pre-April 2020 status. The General also highlighted a significant deterioration in bilateral relations, stating, “Trust has become the biggest casualty.”
“As far as China is concerned, it has been intriguing our minds for quite some time. With China, you have to compete, cooperate, coexist, confront, and contest. We want the situation that was before April 2020 to be restored. Until then, the situation will remain sensitive, and we are prepared for any contingency. Trust has become the biggest casualty,” the Army Chief said.
General Dwivedi mentioned that while the diplomatic side provides options and possibilities, the actual execution on the ground depends on the decisions made by the military commanders on both sides.
On progress on flashpoints like Demchok, he said, “Everything we can think of along the Northern Front is on the table, it includes Depsang and Demchok.”
He spoke on a range of issues including terror attacks in the Jammu region of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, situation in Manipur and self-reliance.
On the new wave of attacks in Jammu, General Dwivedi said, “If you take all the parameters, I feel we are moving towards peace. The terrorists who have come now are foreign terrorists.”
On the ground situation in Manipur, he said, “It has become a battle of narratives. Situation may be stable today, but it is tense.”
The Army Chief provided details on the Indian Army’s procurement, stating that 85 per cent of acquisitions are Indigenous. Out of the 509 items on the Positive List, 176 items (35 per cent) have been sponsored by the Indian Army. The Indian Army is procuring equipment worth 1.13 lakh crore from the Indian industry.
Ravi Shankar
