India has learnt an important lesson from the Ukraine conflict: Army Chief

New Delhi: The media asked General Manoj Mukund Naravane, the Chief of Army Staff, whether the next war be fought in the cyber sector or from airconditioned chambers. It is claimed that wars will be fought only with drones and cyberattacks in future. The question also was based on these predictions. But General Naravane warned that a conventional war could also be fought in the current times, citing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Army Chief made a significant statement that the Ukraine conflict has taught India a crucial and big lesson that wars have to be fought with indigenous weapons.

Army Chief General Naravane clarified while speaking to the media ‘War can spark at any point. We have to be ready to face it. This war cannot be fought with weapons and defence systems brought from other countries. Indigenously manufactured weapons and defence systems have to be used in the war. This is the biggest lesson taught by the Ukraine conflict to India. At the same time, the Ukraine conflict has also underlined that it is necessary to be prepared for a war at all times.’ The war may also be fought using modern technologies like cyberattacks and drones. At the same time, General Naravane stressed that the possibility of conventional war could not be completely ruled out.

Over the last few years, India has been making great efforts for the indigenous manufacture of weapons and defence systems. The private sector has been involved in the process and this has tremendously increased the speed of the weapons indigenisation process. Indian Army, Navy and Airforce also demand an increase in the speed of indigenous manufacture of weapons. The Army Chief once again underlined the importance of citing the Ukraine conflict.

General Naravane has warned that India cannot depend on weapons imported from other countries. Ukraine did not have the necessary military strength to fight the Russian aggression and it was dependent on supplies from the United States and NATO. But Ukraine did not receive the required assistance from the United States. Therefore, Ukraine fell short in facing Russian aggression. Quoting this, the Army Chief is underlining the importance of Atmanirbharata (Indigenisation) in the manufacture of weapons and defence systems.