Chief of the Army Staff, General Dhiraj Seth today called for India’s defence preparedness to move beyond self-reliance in production towards the ability to sustain, adapt and regenerate military capability through prolonged conflicts.

Delivering the keynote address on “Aatmanirbharta in an Era of Transformative Wars” at a Defence Conclave by a media house, the Army Chief described contemporary conflicts as “wars with pause”.

He stressed that the character, technology and duration of warfare are changing rapidly, requiring an equally dynamic approach to capability development and self-reliance. General Seth said technology may be shortening battles, but it is not necessarily shortening wars.

The Chief of Army Staff cautioned against a “one-size-fits-all” approach. He said India’s operating environment ranges from mean sea level to super-high altitude and from extreme heat to temperatures well below freezing. He stressed that capabilities would have to be designed around India’s distinctive geography, terrain and operational requirements.

General Seth pointed out that a drone costing a few hundred dollars can threaten a platform worth millions of dollars. He said cheap, smart and scalable technologies are increasingly taking on sophisticated and expensive military systems. He opined that the ability to innovate, adapt and counter faster than the adversary would be an advantage.