Urgent efforts needed from all stakeholders to achieve excellence in mordern warfare: Parl panel

New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) Asserting that a "paradigm shift" in warfare strategy is taking place in the contemporary theatre of war, a parliamentary panel on defence has recommended that "urgent and coordinated" efforts by all stakeholders may be made to achieve excellence in hybrid and modern war tactics.

The Committee, in its report presented in Lok Sabha on Thursday, also said that efforts are ongoing to "increase our capabilities" in modern warfare, and the panel has every reason to believe that with "right combination of strategy morale and infrastructure, our country will be at par with other advanced countries".

The report dealt with "Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2024-25 on 'General Defence Budget, Border Roads Organisation, Indian Coast Guard, Defence Estates Organisation, Defence Public Sector Undertakings, Welfare of Ex-Servicemen and Defence Pension'." In another report, the Committee suggested that the defence ministry will negotiate and finalise the acquisition plans in a "time bound manner to help maintain equipment and aircraft at an optimum level." The parliamentary panel has also suggested that the defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) should "intensify their effort" to ensure the timely supply of various hardware, platforms, weapon systems and accessories so that the armed forces are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and platforms to "encounter any unforeseen situation at any point of time".

The Committee acknowledged that there have been "time overruns" on the part of DPSUs in conforming to the delivery schedule of certain products for the forces; however, it noted that the primary reason for the delay in most cases is "dependence on imported items" after taking into account oral and written depositions from the defence ministry.

"One such instance of delay in delivery of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) M1A was also highlighted by the Committee during deliberations on DFG 2024-25," it observed.

In the report, the panel underlined that the paradigm shift in the strategy of warfare is taking place wherein non-conventional means such as "non-kinetic warfare, cyber warfare, cognitive warfare etc. are being increasingly employed." "The Committee learn that efforts are ongoing to increase our capabilities in this modern warfare and have every reason to believe that with right combination of strategy morale and infrastructure, our country will be at par with other advanced countries," it said.

In this regard, the panel recommends that urgent and coordinated efforts by all stakeholders may be made to achieve excellence in hybrid and modern war tactics.

In response, the government has said that the recommendation of the Committee has been noted.

"Modernisation of Armed Forces ensure that existing capabilities remain relevant, efficient and integrated with contemporary technologies. The synergy between Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS), Services HQs, DRDO and the Department of Defence Production (DDP)/MoD is fundamental to advancing India’s defence self-reliance and strengthening its strategic capabilities," the panel said.

The report further said that the Committee's oral evidence of the representatives of the ministry revealed that the "emergency procurements for the forces were sanctioned four times in 2020." "They also learn that a mechanism is being worked out in the Ministry of Defence for fast track procurement for the services. In this regard, the Committee desire that modalities being worked out for fast track procurement for the services be finalised at the earliest and the Committee be apprised accordingly," it said.

The government, in response, said it attaches the highest priority to ensuring that the armed forces are sufficiently equipped to meet any operational requirement.

The report also said the panel has taken cognisance of a recent reported event of the arrest of a Probandar resident for allegedly sharing sensitive information about Indian Coast Guard vessels.

"In this regard, the Committee note the submission of the Director General Coast Guard that this was a one-off incident. It was also submitted that a thorough background and antecedent verification of the contractual staff is undertaken by the Coast Guard," the panel said.

The Committee recommended that the "extant system of detecting and monitoring channels of leakage of sensitive information may be further strengthened to avoid recurrence of such cases in future. The contractual staff in the Coast Guard may also be suitably sensitised in this regard." On a matter related to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the Committee said it has noted the submission of its director general that BRO is "open to sharing its expertise and knowledge of construction and maintenance of infrastructure with other concerned agencies in various state governments".

In this context, the Committee recommended that the feasibility of creating an "online portal by BRO" for facilitation of guidance and coordination with other government construction agencies for this purpose may be explored, and the Committee be apprised accordingly. PTI KND AMJ AMJ