India’s defence sector is at an inflexion point poised to take off

Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat said India’s security would be maintained in the strategic space of the extended neighbourhood and the strategic frontier also. He said this while speaking at a symposium on ‘Emerging defence exports’ on Saturday.

He also said the armed forces should be structured in a manner that they provide the operational flexibility to pursue wider strategic objectives, Livemint reported.

Gen Rawat added that India values its emerging relationship with the United States and cherishes its traditional relationship with Russia.

“With both these powers we share a mature and robust defence and security framework,” he said.

He further added: “In the emerging security paradigm, India’s security would be maintained not, as hitherto, on the International Border, Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control alone, but in the strategic space of extended neighbourhood and the strategic frontier.”

With regards to the proposed reforms in the military structure, Gen Rawat said the Chief of Defence Staff and the theatre commanders would conjointly provide unity of command while the service headquarters and the component commanders could provide unity of effort.

He pointed out that India’s defence sector is at an inflexion point poised to take off whereby the central government and the Indian armed forces are keen and committed to Make in India Defence initiative.