New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing the Combined Commanders’ Conference 2025 in Kolkata on September 16, 2025, urged the Indian Armed Forces to be prepared for unconventional threats that go beyond traditional warfare.
He highlighted the need to address “invisible” challenges from information, ideological, ecological, and biological warfare amid a turbulent global order and regional instability, stressing ongoing assessment and preparedness as crucial.
Singh emphasised that modern warfare is rapidly evolving with conflicts becoming sudden and unpredictable, making it difficult to foresee their duration, which can vary from months to several years.
He called for ensuring the Armed Forces maintain sufficient surge capacity and develop a “technology-friendly” military to meet these emerging threats.
The Defence Minister underscored India’s defence sector as a combination of offensive and defensive capabilities and urged commanders to actively work toward realising the Sudarshan Chakra vision, a futuristic defence project articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A committee has been formed to prepare a detailed roadmap with medium-term (5-year) and long-term (10-year) plans for this initiative.
Rajnath Singh reiterated the government’s focus on modernisation, operational readiness, technological superiority, and credible deterrence under the mantra “JAI” (Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, Innovation). He encouraged deeper collaboration with industry and academia to develop future-ready technologies and expand private sector participation in defence innovation.
The minister also highlighted initiatives such as the Tri-Service Logistics Nodes and Tri-Service Logistic Management Application that foster greater synergy and civil-military fusion to meet new threats effectively.
Referring to the successful Operation Sindoor, he praised the Armed Forces for their professionalism, courage, and capacity to face any challenge with indigenous platforms, describing this as the true strength of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India).
Rajnath Singh’s address at the conference called for enhanced readiness to counter unconventional threats, the advancement of indigenous defence technologies, and strengthening operational jointness, all aimed at securing India’s future in a rapidly changing security.
