The CDS also noted that the Armed Forces are investing in technology, which will be key as India continues the process of reorganising its war fighting structure into theatres

NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday said the formulation of a National Security Strategy (NSS) should reflect the changes in international geopolitics.

General Anil Chauhan said, "International geopolitics is in a flux and the national security strategy should aim to absorb the changes in such a way that it meets the challenges and exploits the opportunities."

The CDS also noted that the Armed Forces are investing in technology, which will be key as India continues the process of reorganising its war fighting structure into theatres.

The CDS was delivering the inaugural speech at the DRDO Directors' Conclave, an annual event of DRDO, in New Delhi on Friday. General Chauhan stressed the need to perform, reform, transform, inform and conform to meet the emerging challenges.

India does not have a National Security Strategy, which is an all-encompassing and overarching document for a nation, providing a direction to employ various instruments of national power - diplomatic, informational, military and economic - to advance and protect its national interests from external and internal threats.

Referring to the technology requirements emerging from theaterisation, he said superiority in technology and tactics is the need of the hour and the Indian Armed Forces are investing in new technologies to win engagements.

Highlighting the principles of jointness, integration and Theaterisation, General Anil Chauhan said in the national security realm, the concept of Theaterisation is a fundamental change that is on the anvil.

"It is one of the most ambitious changes with far-reaching implications attempted post-independence. The start on this journey depends on the right steps being taken first towards jointness and integration. Theaterisation involves creation of tri service theatre specific structures for effective response along the entire spectrum of conflict," said General Anil Chauhan.

The CDS said that integration in the physical domain aims to achieve a multiplier effect as it combines the unique capabilities of the services through integrated processes and structures to increase the war fighting capability.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat, in his inaugural address, highlighted the changes occurring in the nature of warfare and criticality involved in them. He stressed on the need to reform and transform the perspectives in tandem with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of Atmanirbharta and Make in India.

General Chauhan released the DRDO's second list of systems and subsystems for the industry to design, develop and manufacture in line with

Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This second list of DRDO is in continuation of the list of 108 items released earlier.

He also released the "DRDO Guidelines for Production Coordination", which outline the mechanism for production coordination and resolution of issues associated with production of DRDO developed military equipment/platforms/systems.

The guidelines bring out a two-tier mechanism to resolve issues related to production of these systems by involving designers, users, production

agencies, quality agencies and other stakeholders. The initiative will further pave the way for the Indian defence industry to develop defence technologies/systems towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The conclave will include deliberations on various issues in line with the theme "Redefining Role of DRDO in the Wake of New Government Policies and Emerging Scenarios" through six technical sessions each followed by a panel discussion.

The two-day conclave is organised as a follow-up to the various Chintan Shivir (brainstorming session) meetings and reviews of their outcomes by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It is being attended by top officials of DRDO including Directors General of various technology as well as corporate clusters, directors of DRDO laboratories, directors of DRDO headquarters and Integrated Financial Advisors (IFAs).

At the beginning of this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had presided over a day-long session of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). It had followed separate brainstorming sessions, last month, of all the Departments of the MoD. The Department of Defence (DoD), Department of Defence Production (DDP), Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DESW) and Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) had organised separate brainstorming sessions, during which they discussed critical issues & ways to enhance their productivity.