Multiple challenges, emerging threats stare India: PM

New Delhi: Warning that the international strategic and political environment has deteriorated in recent times, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the policies adopted, whether internally or externally, must factor this in, especially when the country is “faced with multiple challenges” and “new and emerging threats”. “While we must work with the international community to address global issues, we must strengthen our own capabilities by consolidating our strategic autonomy and independence of thought and action, particularly when most major powers today are preoccupied with their own domestic problems which has made effective and coordinated response difficult,” said the Prime Minister. Addressing the Combined Commanders Conference of the Indian Armed Forces here, the Prime Minister said one of the most important security imperatives lies in their ability to respond to the multiple challenges the country was facing in a quick and integrated fashion, and for this the excellent civil-military relations needs to be leveraged to meet new and emerging threats. He said this traditionally maintained relation has been the bedrock of democracy and must be continuously build upon to reflect the combined will of the nation that imparts them the strength to face newer challenges unitedly. Pointing out that the armed forces have played a stellar role in safeguarding borders, in fighting terrorism and infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, insurgencies in the North-East, pirates in the Indian Ocean and aiding the civil authority in Sikkim during the recent earthquake, Dr Singh said, “Our countrymen look up to the armed forces as the epitome of honesty, integrity, character and professionalism.” In this age of rapid information flows and explosion of technologies, when the country is faced with multiple challenges one of the most important security imperatives is ability to respond to these challenges quickly and in an integrated fashion, he told the gathering, adding, “We should be justifiably proud of the excellent civil-military relations that we have traditionally maintained, and which has been the bedrock of our democracy. We must, however, continuously build upon this tradition and leverage the combined will of the nation to meet new and emerging threats.” Dwelling on the nation’s neighbourhood, the Prime Minister said, “Our special focus on our immediate neighbourhood emanates from our conviction that the task of India’s socio-economic transformation will be difficult if we do not give them a substantial stake in India’s economic progress and stability.” While stressing that it was the responsibility of the government to equip the armed forces, he said the Government will never fight shy of finding the funds for the modernisation of the forces, but at the same time argued that “we have to recognise that resources are not unlimited”. Calling upon the armed forces to optimise the use of scarce resources, particularly when they build new capacities for meeting emerging threats, including those beyond conventional warfare, Dr Singh said today terrorist groups are highly networked, nimble footed and more lethal which calls for appropriate responses. “Cyber threats are emerging as a major source of worry. Cyber and information warfare could qualitatively change the concept of a battlefield. Nuclear proliferation and nuclear security remain a serious threat in our neighbourhood,” he said and added: “We must focus much more on maritime security, and on securing our coastline, our exclusive economic zone, our island territories and the sea lanes of communication.” Dr Singh said modernisation of armed forces should not be limited only to acquisition of foreign equipment or foreign technologies, instead “we have to progressively reduce our dependence on external sources. This has to be a national effort, involving our armed forces, our scientists and captains of Indian industry.” He also said armed forces must attract the best and the brightest of youth, and the skills of those who are already in the forces should be continuously upgraded and broad-based so that the forces operate at the cutting edge of technology. “As Commanders, you have a special responsibility to inculcate the finest qualities of character, integrity and professionalism among your junior officers and men and women. We live in an increasingly open society characterised by instant communications and mass media. These impose greater responsibilities on all public institutions of our Republic, including the armed forces,” he added.