Threats may be known, but the enemy may be invisible, this is how Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday underlined the growing importance of cyber security, while asking the armed forces to prepare for the rapidly changing combat scenario where control of cyber space was of paramount significance.
Modi urged the armed forces to incorporate “new thinking with regard to economic, diplomatic and security policies” and said domination of cyber space will become “increasingly” important.
Enunciating these factors and his strategic vision in the first meeting with top commanders of the three Services during the Combined Commanders’ Conference here, the Prime Minister said full scale wars may become rare and shorter, and the forces will remain an instrument of deterrence.
Speaking extempore, Modi stressed on the crucial aspect of enhancing capabilities of the forces and said: “When we speak of Digital India, we would also like to see a digital Armed Force.”
Asking the three Services to pay more attention to technology in the rapidly-changing war fighting scenario all over the world, with stress on information technology and space, the Prime Minister directed the commanders to make sure that even the junior-most soldier is tech-savvy.
Elaborating on the threat perception facing the country, Modi noted that security challenges will be less predictable in future and situations will evolve and change swiftly. Coupled with these ground realities, technological changes will make responses more difficult to keep pace with.
“In this backdrop, the threats may be known, but the enemy may be invisible,” he said, adding, domination of cyber space will become increasingly important. Control of space may become as critical as that of land, air and sea.”
Assuring the armed forces of his commitment to provide adequate resources to ensure Defence preparedness, he asked the Defence establishment to reform procurement processes as also suggest corrective measures to avoid delays in domestic development and production of equipment.
The most important task, the Prime Minister observed was to transform the Defence forces with increased synergy. He urged the three wings of the Services to work as a team all the way from the lowest levels of Services to the top.
In this regard, he suggested that the Combined Commanders’ Conference may be held on a warship or an air base or in an army unit so as to expose the officers to the working ethos of the three forces. He also assured the commanders that he would continue the practice that he had started of meeting the three Service chiefs on a one-on-one basis at least once a month.
Outlining his vision of expanding the domestic Defence industrial base, Modi stressed the important role that the Services, as users, can play in this, both by committing to targets for domestic procurement and participating in innovation and improvements in domestically-produced equipment.
In his address to the Commanders, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley lauded the Border Security Force and the Army for giving a befitting reply to Pakistan during the recent spate of ceasefire violations on the International Border and line of Control. He also lauded the Army for its handling of the recent face-off with China in Chumar, ladakh.
Terming Pakistan as a “global puzzle,” he said the neighbouring country has tried to create trouble through cross-border terrorism in India for the last 20 years but the security forces have thwarted all these attempts. He, however, cautioned that India is living in a troubled neighbourhood and said the security forces are ready to meet any challenge.