New Delhi: Top Army commanders will carry out an extensive review of India's national security challenges along the borders with China and Pakistan as well as assess any possible geopolitical implication of the Russia-Ukraine war for the region at a five-day conclave beginning Monday. The conclave will be held at the national capital from April 18-22 and will be chaired by Army Chief Gen MM Naravane. The commanders will also focus on specific plans for capability development and boosting operational preparedness of the 1.3 million-strong force, officials said on Sunday.
The Army Commanders' Conference is an apex level biannual event that is held in April and October every year. The conference is an institutional platform for conceptual level deliberations, culminating in making important policy decisions for the Indian Army. The officials said detailed deliberations have been planned to assess the possible implications of the war in Ukraine for regional security as well as various military aspects of the conflict.
The commanders will also carry out a comprehensive review of India's military preparedness along the 3,400-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) in view of the lingering military standoff with China in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh, they said. The anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the overall situation in the Union Territory will also be deliberated upon extensively at the conference, the officials said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to interact with the senior Army commanders and address the conference on April 21.
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"During the conference, the senior leadership of the Indian Army will review the operational situation along the active borders, assess threats in the entire spectrum of conflict and undertake analysis of capability voids to further focus on capability development and operational preparedness plans," the Army said. "Discussions on aspects pertaining to infrastructure development in border areas, modernisation through indigenisation, induction of Niche tech and assessment on any impact of the Russia-Ukraine war are also scheduled," it said in a statement. It said various agenda points recommended by regional commands will be deliberated upon by the senior commanders apart from proposals concerning improving works, financial management, introducing e-vehicles, and digitisation in the Indian Army.
As part of the conference, Boards of Governors meetings of the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) and Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) will be organised, the Army said. The conference is also a formal forum for senior leadership of the Indian Army to interact with the senior functionaries of the Department of Military Affairs and Department of Defence. It is set to be the last Army Commanders' Conference to be chaired by Gen Naravane as his tenure as Army Chief is set to end by end of this month.
PTI
