The most recent Army Commanders Conference, which was held from April 17–21 and took place for the first time in a hybrid paradigm, featured discussions over a wide range of strategic, training, human resource development, and administrative issues. Important choices were also made regarding how to shape the Army’s future. The Army Commanders and other top officials assessed the operational capability and readiness of the Indian Army as well as the present and emerging security scenarios. As part of the “Year of Transformation” announced in January 2023, the forum evaluated the pan-Indian, quantified progress on the ongoing transformational initiatives in the key domains of Force Structuring & Optimisation, Modernisation & Technology Infusion, Processes & Functions, Human Resources Management, and Jointness and Integration.
Progress on efficient implementation of the Agnipath Scheme was deliberated upon in detail.
Additionally, the Apex leadership identified specific areas and takeaways for fostering cooperation and integration with other Services and governmental organisations. During the conference, it was determined to undertake a number of welfare programmes and initiatives for both military and veterans. The forum examined the need to protect the networks in light of the rapid shift towards net centricity, which necessitates a greater reliance on contemporary communication technology, and agreed to operationalize Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSW) as soon as possible. It was determined to designate Lead Directorates and ‘Test Bed’ Formations to develop the best employment philosophies and scaling to enable better exploitation of the Pan Army in order to increase the capabilities of the forces through the absorption of niche technologies and equipment.
It was extensively discussed to implement training programmes that would make the most use of the available time, space, and resources to maintain a potent and deadly fighting force. It was determined to change the Technical admission Scheme (TES) admission scheme for officers from the current 1+3+1 years to 3 + 1 years starting in January 2024. Additionally, this modification will solve the scarcity of officers by making more officers available in the units. Simulator training is also anticipated to receive a substantial boost this year with the purchase of 435 simulators at a projected cost of 791 crores.
It was emphasised that development on the Thal Sena Bhawan at Delhi Cantt began in March 2023. By consolidating all the directorates under one roof, the work, once finished in 2025, will not only alleviate the lack of office space but also improve the operational and functional efficiency of the Army HQ. The cutting-edge structure will have a solid, technologically advanced architecture and be an intelligent, environmentally friendly, and project that is prepared for the future.
The decision was made to identify and prepare a small group of motivated troops for Paralympic disciplines by instructing them in nine athletic disciplines at Army Sports and Mission Olympic Nodes. This was done in order to capitalise on the unbreakable spirit and never-say-die mentality of the soldiers who suffer battle and physical casualties. The organization’s leadership and management are always responsible for the wellbeing of the soldiers. It was determined to quadruple the maintenance payment to such children through AGIF, which is a significant step towards the welfare of the specially abled offspring of those soldiers who die in harness.
