Defence Minister addresses officers at Army War College, Mhow

• Mastering frontier technologies is need of the hour; Military training centres readying our soldiers to deal with future challenges: Defence Minister at Army War College, Mhow

• “Through integration & jointness, Armed Forces will be able to face challenges together in a more efficient way”

New Delhi. “Mastering frontier technologies in today’s constantly-evolving times is the need of the hour, and the military training centres are playing a crucial role in equipping & readying our soldiers to deal with future challenges,” said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing the officers at the Army War College (AWC) in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh on December 30, 2024. Highlighting the radical changes being witnessed in the ways of warfare, he stated that unconventional methods like information warfare, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based warfare, proxy warfare, electro-magnetic warfare, space warfare and cyber attacks are posing a big challenge in today’s times.

Defence Minister stressed on the need for the military to remain well-trained and equipped to deal with such challenges, lauding the training centres in Mhow for their valuable contribution in these efforts. He commended the centres for constantly improving their training curriculum, in sync with the changing times, and striving to make the personnel fighting fit for every kind of challenge.

Mr. Rajnath Singh highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government’s vision of making the country Viksit Bharat by 2047, describing the current phase as a transition period. “India is constantly moving on the path of development and is rapidly emerging as a manufacturing hub. From a military point of view, we are getting equipped with modern weapons. We are also exporting Made-in-India equipment to other countries. Our defence exports, which were around Rs 2,000 crores a decade ago, have crossed the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore today. We have set an export target of Rs 50,000 crore by 2029,” he added.

Defence Minister reasserted the Government’s resolve to strengthen integration and jointness among the three services, exuding confidence that, in the times to come, the Armed Forces will be able to face challenges together in a better and more efficient way. He appreciated the fact that high-level training is provided to officers of all wings in Mhow Cantonment. He urged the officers to explore the possibility of promoting integration through training in areas such as weapons training in Infantry School; AI & Communication Technology in Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE); and Leadership – Junior and Senior Command in AWC.

Mr. Rajnath Singh added that some officers will work as defence attaches in the future, and they should strive to secure national interests at the global level. “When you take up this post of Defence Attaches, you should imbibe the Government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Only through self-reliance can India strengthen its defence capabilities and gain more respect on the world stage,” he added.

Defence Minister voiced the Government’s unwavering commitment to make India one of the strongest economic and military powers in the world. “Economic prosperity is possible only when full attention is paid to security. Similarly, the security system will be robust only when the economy is strong. Both complement each other. By 2047, we will not only become a developed nation, but our Armed Forces will also be one of the most modern and strongest militaries in the world,” he said.

Mr. Rajnath Singh also urged the officers to internalise Dr BR Ambedkar’s values of dedication and spirit. He described Baba Saheb as not just the architect of the Indian constitution, but also a visionary guide, reiterating the Government’s commitment to introduce his values and ideals to the people, especially the youth.

Commending the Armed Forces for securing the borders & being the first responders during natural disasters, Defence Minister said: “This dedication to protect the nation and this spirit to keep ourselves updated in a constantly-changing world can take us ahead of others.”

At AWC, Mr. Rajnath Singh was briefed by Commandant Lt Gen HS Sahi on the role and significance of the institute towards training and empowering military leaders for warfighting across the entire spectrum of conflict. He was briefed upon the significant steps in training methodology through jointness in multi-domain operations, infusion of technology in training curriculum and exchange programmes being undertaken with academia, universities and industries alongwith training of CAPF officers. He was also briefed on the global footprints of the institute achieved through training the officers from friendly countries and contributing immensely towards military diplomacy. Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and other senior officials of the Indian Army were present on the occasion.

Earlier, Defence Minister laid a wreath and paid homage to the bravehearts at the Infantry Memorial.

On December 29, 2024, Defence Minister visited AWC, MCTE, Infantry School and the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow. He stated that all these establishments together create a confluence of the country’s golden past and a strong, prosperous & bright future. He described the Quantum Technology Lab and AI lab operating in MCTE as a positive step towards achieving the objective of Adaptive Warfare.