Army commanders to discuss border challenges

New Delhi: Top commanders of the Indian Army will conduct an extensive review of India’s national security challenges along the borders with China and Pakistan and also assess any possible geopolitical implications of the Russia-Ukraine war for the region at a five-day conclave from Monday. It will be chaired by Army Chief Gen. M.M. Naravane, and last till Friday. It will be the last such conference for Gen. Naravane, whose term as Army Chief will be over at the end of this month. Defence minister Rajnath Singh will interact with the senior commanders and address the conclave on Thursday.

“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 an analysis of capability voids to further focus on capability development and operational preparedness plans,” a senior official 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 in this region are also scheduled.

Various agenda points sponsored by regional commands will be deliberated upon by the senior commanders, apart from proposals on improving works, financial management, introduction of e-vehicles and digitisation in the Indian Army. As part of the conference, meetings of the boards of governors of the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) and Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF) will be organised.

The conference is also a formal forum for the Army’s senior leadership to interact with the senior officials of the department of military affairs and the ministry of defence during the MoD interaction session.

The Army commanders’ conference is an apex-level biannual event that is held in April and October every year. It is an institutional platform for conceptual level deliberations, culminating in making important policy decisions for the Indian Army.

Among other issues, officials said the commanders will also delve into infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control. India has been ramping up infrastructure development in the border regions in view of China’s building new bridges, roads and related structures in key sectors along the frontier.

India and China have been holding high-level military talks to resolve the faceoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh. On March 11, India and China held the 15th round of high-level military dialogue to resolve the pending issues in the region.