Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today launched the country’s first dedicated academic and operational department exclusively focused on military medicine. He virtually inaugurated the Department of Military Medicine at Command Hospital (Central Command) in Lucknow.
The initiative aims to enhance combat medical readiness, advancing research, developing indigenous doctrines and creating specialised expertise for future battlefields and humanitarian contingencies.
In his address on the occasion the defence minister described the new Department of Military Medicine as a symbol of a revolutionary shift in the military mindset of the nation. He said that together, we must transform this department into the world’s best ‘Battlefield Medicine Research Centre’,
He stressed that, alongside traditional weaponry, the threat of weapons of mass destruction persists in the current era. In such a situation, the department will serve as a hub for research and development, equipping the nation to deal with emerging threats arising out of the rapid technologies advancements.
This newly-established Department has been conceived as a centre of excellence in military medicine and will serve as the principal academic, research and doctrinal hub for AFMS. It will provide structured education and training in military and operational medicine, facilitate postgraduate programmes in domains such as combat medicine, combat surgery and trauma care, and promote indigenous research tailored to India’s operational requirements.
