PUNE: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said on Wednesday that while the situation on the northern borders is stable, the army is exercising caution to prevent any surprises similar to the Galwan clash in the future.
“The situation on the northern borders is stable, but it remains sensitive. Our army is fully prepared and capable of handling any situation. Special attention is being given to the development of modern equipment and critical infrastructure along the northern border. However, we must be cautious, as we want to avoid a repeat of the events that occurred in Galwan,” the Chief said while addressing the media on the sidelines of the 77th Army Day parade at the Bombay Engineering Group and Centre in Pune.
“Our eyes and ears and our whole-of-nation approach focus towards that, be it diplomatic, military or Ministry of Home Affairs efforts in terms of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) efforts, all should converge on this issue and make sure we do not get surprised,” the Chief added.
He also reiterated that the ceasefire is still in place along the Line of Control on the western borders, although infiltration attempts continue.
“Violence has significantly reduced due to the continuous efforts of security forces in the interior areas of Jammu and Kashmir. The peaceful completion of parliament and assembly elections, as well as the Amarnath Yatra last year, indicates an improvement in the security situation,” the Chief added.
To face the challenges of the future, we prepared a comprehensive road map of a ‘decade of Transformation’, the Chief said.
“The objective of this transformation is to strengthen our operational preparedness and increase our functional and administrative efficiency. Also, in the year 2025, we will focus on the ‘year of reforms’ and ‘year of technology absorption’,” the Chief said.
“I am confident that we will continue on the path of progress to make the Indian Army a modern, agile, adaptable, technology-enabled and invincible force,” he added.
The Chief reiterated that efforts are being made to empower women in the Indian Army. The Chief said, “Women are being selected not only for officer posts but also as Agniveer women. And you have also seen the display of their enthusiasm and courage in this grand parade. The Nari Shakti will play a pivotal role in the force.”
The Chief said that the Southern Command will play a pivotal role in the technology absorption and infusion in the force as major defence industries are housed in it, including in Pune.
“Moreover, it is the largest command of the army and can provide humanitarian assistance across the country. We witnessed the role of the command during natural disasters such as the Tsunami and Wayland landslide incidents,” he added.
On the self-reliance in the force, the Chief said that 85% of capital expenditure is on the indigenous production house. All the advanced technology drones, K-9 Vajra artillery guns, etc., which were displayed during the parade had an Indian touch, he said.
The Chief said that the army shortlisted Bhopal, Jabalpur, Guwahati and Jaipur to conduct the next Army Day parade and the panel is working on finding out where we would be able to get the feasible ecosystem.
“We would like to have a special marching contingent of army veterans and defence production unit tableaux in the next parade,” he added.
The Nepal Army band for the first time performed during the parade.
ALH Will Continue to be the ‘Workhorse‘ of the Indian Army: Army Chief
The advanced light helicopters (ALHs) have not encountered a ‘rough patch’ and will continue to serve as the ‘workhorse’ of the Indian Army in the future, according to Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday.
The Indian Armed Forces grounded their entire fleet of ALHs following a fatal air crash on January 5 in which three Indian Coast Guard personnel lost their lives in Porbandar.
The Chief said, “Accidents like this happen globally. The ALH has been a reliable workhorse for the Indian Army. We have flown this helicopter in high-altitude regions. In fact, in 2023-24, we logged about 40,000 flight hours with it, operating beyond 15,000 feet. So, the ALH is our workhorse, and it will remain so. We have 100% confidence in this helicopter.”
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