New Delhi, Nov 12 :
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that India is determined to create an ‘Adaptive Defence’ in the country to counter the challenges posed by the fast-changing world in today’s times.
Addressing the inaugural Delhi Defence Dialogue 2024, organised by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses here, Rajnath said that ‘Adaptive Defence’ is a strategic approach where a nation’s military and defence mechanisms continuously evolve to counter emerging threats effectively, an official statement said.
“Adaptive defence’ is not merely responding to what has happened but anticipating what could happen and preparing for it proactively. In essence, it involves cultivating a mindset and capability to adapt, innovate, and thrive, even in the face of unpredictable and evolving circumstances,” he said.
He further said, “Situational awareness, flexibility at strategic and tactical levels, resilience, agility, and integration with the futuristic technologies are the keys to understanding and creating adaptive defence. It must be the mantra of our strategic formulations and operational responses.”.
Stating that ‘Adaptive Defence’ is not just a strategic choice but a necessity, Rajnath said, “As the threats to our nation have evolved, so too must our defence systems and strategies. We should be prepared for all future contingencies. It is more than just protecting our borders; it is about securing our future.”.
He also pointed out that traditional notions of war were being reshaped by emerging technologies and evolving strategic partnerships, with new perspectives, doctrines, and concepts of operations emerging within the Armed Forces in keeping with the changing nature of threats and challenges.
The Minister termed the present age as a grey zone and hybrid warfare where traditional ways to defend have been challenged. Adding that continuous adaptation is the best strategy to deal with the emerging challenges.
Moreover, the Minister also threw light on the diverse range of security challenges faced by India, from the traditional border-related threats to unconventional issues such as terrorism, cyberattacks, and hybrid warfare.
He asserted that the government recognised the need for an adaptive defence strategy in a changing geopolitical and technological scenario and has taken several initiatives to build a robust and self-reliant ecosystem. It includes establishing the institution of the Chief of Defence Staff, promoting jointness among the three services, improvising the training curriculum, and forging new defence partnerships around the world.
Emphasising that, in the present age of digitisation and information overload, the world is facing an unprecedented scale of psychological warfare, Rajnath said that the government is determined to employ adaptive defence strategies to counter the menace of information warfare against national security.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to keep India among the leading countries working on emerging technologies in cyberspace and artificial intelligence (AI).
He stated that drones and swarm technologies were bringing fundamental changes in the ways and means of warfare, and India was aiming to become a drone hub of the world, and several initiatives have been taken in this regard.
The Minister called for adopting a collaborative approach to deal with contemporary problems of defence and security.
He stressed that the actors involved in these matters are not only states but non-states as well.
Singh said that the ‘Make in India’ campaign has witnessed success through indigenous projects such as Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, INS Vikrant, and DRDO’s missile programs.
“Today, we are also witnessing the fruits of our endeavour in the rising exports of defence items. Currently, India is exporting defence items to over 100 nations, with the top three destinations for defence exports in 2023-24 being the USA, France, and Armenia. We hope to achieve the target of Rs 50,000 crore worth of defence exports by 2029,” he stated.
DG, MP-IDSA Ambassador Sujan R Chinoy, Vice-Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal SP Dharkar, civil and military officials, and distinguished participants from within the country and abroad were present on the occasion.
