Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterates the strong commitment of the government toward creating an 'Adaptive Defence' system in India so as to deal with the challenges and threats emanating from a rapidly changing world. Speaking at the inaugural Delhi Defence Dialogue (DDD) this Tuesday, organized by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), Singh said that 'Adaptive Defence' is a strategic approach under which the country's military and defence mechanisms constantly learn, adapt and evolve to effectively deal with new threats.
He concluded that 'Adaptive Defence' is not only an option but it's a necessity in critical terms. "It is not about only reacting to what has happened but about predicting what may happen, and taking pro-active responses to that effect," he said. "In one word, it is creating a mindset and capability to adapt, innovate, and thrive even under the most unpredictable and changing environments.". The key to adaptive defence is situated awareness, flexibility at both strategic and tactical levels, resilience, agility, and integration with futuristic technologies," Singh added.
Asserting that the Indian defence systems and strategies needed to evolve with the change in threats, the minister said, "India must remain ready for all future eventualities. It's more than protecting our borders; it is about securing our future.".
Singh also confessed that new entrants of emergent technologies along with changing strategic alliances are changing the old myths of war. Speaking in 'Grey Zone' and 'hybrid warfare' is the present era where conventional armaments, tactics, and methods of defence are under strain.
Singh also accented the wide range of security problems India faces today, from traditional challenges crossing the border to more complex ones like terrorism, cyberattacks, and hybrid warfare. He reiterated the government's acknowledgment that India needs an adaptive defense strategy in today's dynamic geopolitical and technological environment. He further elaborated on several initiatives towards building a robust, self-reliant defense ecosystem.
Reiterating the commitment, Singh said that India looks to be at the forefront of emerging technologies in cyberspace and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and must be able to leverage AI innovations in defence globally.
Similarly, drones and swarm technologies are radically transforming warfare. "India is aiming to become a drone hub of the world.". Quite a few steps have been taken in this regard. This will also benefit the Indian economy, but the effort will be quite crucial for our 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' program. We are already working on research & development through effective certifications, and we are helping Indian Intellectual Property creation in this sector, he added.
He underscored that the only way to come to terms with the modern challenges of defense and security is through collaboration, as the geopolitical situation of today and borderline problems necessitate such cooperation. "The vagaries of cyberspace, AI, and the vast potential of quantum and nanotechnologies further demand collaboration and sharing of knowledge, perspectives, information, and strategies if possible," Singh said.
In conclusion to his speech, Singh boasted confidence that the Delhi Defence Dialogue with stakeholders such as policymakers, military experts, and scholars would go a long way in coming up with new ideas and collaborative strategies for strengthening India's defence capabilities.
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