New Delhi: Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane on Thursday said that maintaining high levels of readiness and operation preparedness to meet all contingencies is part of the Army's culture.

Addressing the 116th Annual session meeting of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the theme 'Resilient India', General Naravane said, "Maintaining high levels of readiness and operation preparedness to meet all contingencies is part of the Army's culture... COVID-19 underscored the timelessness of many fundamental principles that lay the foundation for resilient structures and processes."

"However, a challenge like the COVID-19 pandemic is unique and unprecedented. We are to protect ourselves. Only then could we discharge our duty to help others. This is not unlike the safety instructions in an aircraft, where you are asked to first put on your own oxygen mask before trying to help others. Accordingly, strict force preservation measures were undertaken in the initial days of the pandemic. Even as there was no dilution of our ongoing operational commitments," he added.

Stating that the Indian Army is committed to promoting the Indian Defence Industry, General Naravane expressed the need for the country's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to reinvent and engage themselves in niche domains, build capabilities for precision parts and offer innovative solutions in disruptive technologies.

He said, "Indian Army is fully committed to promoting Indian Defence Industry... Our MSMEs need to reinvent and engage themselves in niche domains, build capabilities for precision parts and offer innovative solutions in disruptive technologies."

The Army chief asserted that the Indian Army is safeguarding territorial integrity and sovereignty of India throughout the year

"Army, Navy and Air Force have their own challenges due to our peculiar environment of contested challenges and ongoing proxy war in J-K. Indian Army is safeguarding territorial integrity and sovereignty of India throughout the year," said General Naravane.