National security strategy must evolve in line with changes in geo-political order: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan at DRDO Directors’ Conclave

• “Theaterisation will ensure effective response along the entire spectrum of conflict”

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has said that international geo-politics is in a flux and the national strategy should aim to absorb the changes in such a way that it meets the challenges and exploits the opportunities. Inaugurating the DRDO Directors’ Conclave, an annual event of DRDO, in New Delhi on July 14, 2023, General Chauhan stressed the need to perform, reform, transform, inform and conform to meet the emerging challenges.

Referring to the “Technology Requirements emerging from Theaterisation”, he said superiority in technology and tactics is the need of the hour and Indian Armed Forces are investing in new technologies to win engagements. Highlighting the principles of jointness, integration and theaterisation, General Anil Chauhan said in the national security realm, the concept of theaterisation is a fundamental change that is on the anvil.

“It is one of the most ambitious changes with far reaching implications attempted post-independence. The start on this journey depends on the right steps being taken first towards jointness and integration. Theaterisation involves creation of tri service theatre specific structures for effective response along the entire spectrum of conflict,” said General Anil Chauhan.

The CDS said, integration in the physical domain aims to achieve a multiplier effect as it combines the unique capabilities of the Services through integrated processes and structures to increase the war fighting capability.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, in his inaugural address, highlighted the changes occurring in the nature of warfare and criticality involved in them. He stressed on the need to reform and transform the perspectives in tandem with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s goal of Aatmanirbharta and Make in India.

General Chauhan released the DRDO’s second list of systems and subsystems for industry to design, develop and manufacture, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This second list of DRDO is in continuation to the list of 108 items released earlier. He also released the “DRDO Guidelines for Production Coordination”, which outlines the mechanism for production coordination and resolution of issues associated with production of DRDO developed military equipment/ platforms/ systems.

The guidelines bring out a two-tier mechanism to resolve issues related to production of these systems by involving designers, users, production agencies, quality agencies and other stakeholders. The initiative will further pave the way for the Indian Defence Industry to develop defence technologies/ systems towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The two-day conclave is organised as follow up to the various Chintan Shivir meetings and review of their outcome by the Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh. It is being attended by top officials of DRDO including Directors General of various technology as well as corporate clusters, directors of DRDO laboratories, directors of DRDO headquarters and Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs). It will include deliberations on various issues in line with the theme “Redefining Role of DRDO in the Wake of New Government Policies and Emerging Scenarios” through six technical sessions each followed by a panel discussion.