Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked for greater jointness between the armed forces of India in order to meet future challenges and to prevail against any eventuality. Modi was speaking at the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference, inaugurated at the Eastern Command headquarters at Vijay Durg, formerly known as Fort Williams, in Kolkata, today.
Speaking at the first major Armed Forces conference post Operation Sindoor, the Prime Minister, while hailing the Armed Forces for the success of Operation Sindoor, also praised its role in nation building, anti-piracy, and safe return of Indian citizens from conflict zones, as well as providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) assistance to friendly countries.
During his speech, Modi instructed the Ministry of Defence to swiftly implement concrete steps to achieve greater jointness, atmanirbharta, and innovation to meet future challenges and to prevail against any eventuality.
Later, the PM was briefed on the operational readiness of the forces in the context of the new normal created by Operation Sindoor and the future of warfare in the context of emerging technology and tactics. The Prime Minister also reviewed the reforms implemented in the last two years and the plan for the next two years.
This year, the conference, a biennial event, bears the theme ‘Year of Reforms – Transformation for the Future’, in line with the ongoing modernisation and transformation of the Armed Forces. The 15th edition of CCC was held in Bhopal in 2023.
The two-day conference is the apex-level brainstorming forum of the Armed Forces, bringing together the nation’s top civil and military leadership to exchange views at the conceptual and strategic levels. During the next two days, the deliberations will seek to further strengthen the Armed Forces, which are agile and decisive in an increasingly complex geostrategic landscape.
Continuing with the tradition of inclusive engagement, the conference will feature interactive sessions with officers and personnel of various ranks from the Armed Forces, ensuring that field-level perspectives enrich the discussions at the highest level.