Army chief unveils road map to build future-ready force, Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi revealed a three-phase road map on Thursday to transform the Indian Army into a future-ready force by 2047.
• The first phase, up to 2032, will focus on capability development, force structure, and operational readiness.
• The second phase, until 2037, aims to consolidate the gains achieved in the first phase.
• The final phase envisions a fully integrated force design by 2047, prepared for next-generation warfare.
• Operation Sindoor was cited as an example of how structural readiness and modernization lead to battlefield success.
• The Defence Minister has designated 2025 as the “Year of Reforms” to boost the Army’s modernization.

Detailed Insights:

• The plan aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat and the government’s push for reforms and technological advancement.
• Self-reliance (Atmanirbharta) through indigenization (Swadeshikaran Se Sashaktikaran) is a foundational pillar, with progress in defence manufacturing and technology absorption.
• Anusandhan, or accelerated innovation via platforms like iDEX and ADITI, should transition to enterprise-level impact in areas like AI, cyber, quantum, and autonomous systems.
• Adaptation (Anukulan) focuses on reforming the larger ecosystem, while Integration (Ekikaran) emphasizes deeper military-civil fusion.
• The first phase is considered the "decade of transformation" to accelerate transitions in capability development.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Atmanirbharta: Self-reliance, especially in the context of defense and technology.
• Indigenization: The process of developing and producing goods and technologies within a country.
• iDEX: Innovation for Defence Excellence, a platform to promote innovation in the Indian defence sector.
• Viksit Bharat: Envisioned developed India.