Secunderabad/ New Delhi: The appointment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and creation of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) were momentous decision taken by the government, said Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Gen Narwane was addressing student officers and faculty at the College of Defence Management (CDM) on Wednesday in Secunderabad. During the course of the interaction, he spoke on a number of issues concerning integration, theaterisation and modernisation of the armed forces in general and the Indian Army in particular. He said the creation of CDS was a long-standing demand of the Armed Forces.
The next logical step in the process of defence reforms in India is the formation of Integrated Theatre Commands to synergise the capabilities and combat potential of the three armed services during war and peace, General said. "However, this process will be deliberate, thoughtful and well-considered and its fruition will take a number of years" he added. The COAS explained to the officers that there was a need for everyone to work in a spirit of togetherness and trust with the national security interests being paramount. He added a note of caution and said that there might be a requirement for "mid-course corrections."
Gen Narwane commended the CDM for the excellent work related to the grooming of tech-adept, management savvy and strategically nimble higher leadership. He also released the Golden Jubilee commemorative coffee table book on the occasion. At the Bison Division, he was briefed by Major General Alok Joshi, General Officer Commanding, Bison Division on security and operational preparedness of the formation in the presence of Lieutenant General CP Mohanty, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command.
The COAS commended the formation for their high level of operational preparedness and exhorted all ranks to continue training hard with zeal and be prepared for any future operational challenges. He was appreciative of the recent flood relief operations and protection measures taken by the units in the fight against COVID-19.
Later he visited the Simulator Development Division (SDD), Secunderabad and the TATA Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) at Hyderabad, a joint venture facility of Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems established for co-production of Apache Helicopters-64. The COAS appreciated the 'Make in India' initiatives and reinvigorated efforts towards indigenisation and being 'Atmanirbhar' on niche technologies.
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