Remarking that the “theatrisation process” of India’s military was underway, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Friday said that new technology was being inducted into the country’s Armed Forces keeping in view the changing character of wars.
“The character of war has been changing over the years. The theaterisation process (integration of the capabilities of the Army, Air Force and Navy for optimal resource utilisation) is going on... this is an important and major decision and we will go with the process slowly...but theaterisation will happen,” Gen. Naravane said, adding that India was not lagging behind any other country in the world as far as induction of technology in the Armed Forces was concerned.
He was speaking here after reviewing the passing out parade of the 141th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune’s Khadakwasla.
The Army chief also said that in keeping with the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the Indian Army was buying most of the technology and equipment from Indian companies.
Gen. Naravane said he expected women cadets to be welcomed with the same sense of fair play and professionalism that the Indian Armed Forces were known the world over, while asking cadets to focus on professional development.
Gen. Naravane was the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade of the 141th course of the NDA in Pune’s Khadakwasla, which concluded amid a dazzling display of military skill and martial power at the Khetrapal Parade Ground.
“As we open the portals of the NDA to women cadets, I expect you all to welcome them with the same sense of fair play and professionalism that the Indian Armed Forces are known for the world over,” said the Army Chief, while addressing the cadets.
Gen. Naravane further said that the training of women at the NDA will be on par with the men.
Impressing upon them the need to focus on professional development even after passing out of the academy, Gen. Naravane noted that it was important for the officers-to-be to be well-informed about the latest technologies.
“As cadets, we often harbour the impression that serious studies are behind us now. However, one must focus on professional development, given that niche technologies are transforming the character of war faster than ever before. Therefore, it is very important to keep abreast of these changes through regular professional education. Physical stamina must be matched with technical prowess and a constant thirst for knowledge,” Gen. Naravane advised, adding knowledge without imagination was no good.
Stating that the NDA was a cradle for the leadership of the Armed Forces of the nation, he exhorted cadets to constantly remind themselves of the academy’s motto of “service before self” and adopt it as their guiding mantra.
Underscoring the need for harmonious coordination among the different services of the Armed Forces, Gen. Naravane reminded the cadets, who would be going into their respective service academies, that “no single service by itself can fight and win modern wars”.
The Army chief, an NDA alumnus of the 56th course, congratulated the cadets on their “precise drill movements” and “flawless display”.
“A little over 42 years back, when I stood as a cadet at the same drill square as you stand today, little could I have imagined that one day I would be reviewing this magnificent parade,” he said.
“It brings to mind that the more things change, the more they remain the same. Even as the flypast is testament to the changing character of war, the parade is testimony to the fact that boots on the ground are as relevant today as they were four decades ago,” Gen. Naravane observed.
Over 1,000 cadets participated in the parade, of which 305 cadets were from the passing out course. This included 220 Army cadets, 41 Naval cadets and 44 Air Force cadets, including 19 cadets from friendly foreign countries — Bhutan, Tajik, Maldives, Vietnam, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Sudan and Uzbekistan.
The event was conducted under strict COVID-19 guidelines. Last year, the parade was held in a scaled-down manner, with the pandemic and lockdown casting a long shadow over it.