CDS Gen Anil Chauhan calls for rapid defence reforms in 2025
In view of the Ministry of Defence having declared 2025 as the year of reform, the need is to adapt and adopt at a very rapid pace, conveyed the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan through a message that was read out at an event in New Delhi on Tuesday.
General Chauhan was scheduled to speak at “Securing India’s rise through defence reforms" co-hosted by the Ministry of Defence think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. He could not make it to the event but his message was read out by an officer from the Department of Military Affairs, headed by the CDS.
General Chauhan’s message said the right time and correct direction of reforms are of essence, as our reforms must be futuristic, insightful and physically implementable. Modern wars are increasingly becoming complex.
The battle space in the traditional domains of land, sea and air, has expanded, and conflicts are now entering new domains of cyber space, electromagnetic information warfare and the sea bed itself.
Conflicts in Europe and West Asia clearly vindicate the potential of exploitation of these domains. New age technologies and concepts such as battlefield transparency with an abundance of sensors, automation powered by data-centric architecture, stealth, hypersonic technologies and robotics driven by autonomous vehicles are transforming how future wars will be fought.
Our armed forces are focusing on training for the future war and doctrines are being evolved that focus on these futuristic domains. Work is on to develop doctrines that will guide the armed forces to prepare for new age wars.
The Armed Forces today are at the threshold of a major transformation, rather at the cusp of the next revolution in military affairs. This revolution is occurring at a time when the global security environment is passing through a phase of unprecedented turmoil and tumult, forcing militaries across the world to re-evaluate their strategies and combat capabilities.
The message from the CDS said there was an emergent need to fast track our defense procurements and invest in R&D in niche domains.
The futuristic defence reforms must factor in civil-military fusion as an essential element for long-term infrastructure development.
Former Deputy National Security Adviser Pankaj Saran while speaking at the event said if India wants to be a major power, a credible power and a strong power, we need to have a strong defence manufacturing base.
“You cannot be a strong nation by being the second largest importer of defence equipment in the world. I don’t think that statistic does any credit at all to us collectively as a nation."
India