Vimarsh: Talk by General Bipin Rawat, ‘The Changing Security Environment : The Role of Indian Army’, at the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), 12 March, 2018

Opening Remarks of Dr Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF

Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff, Admiral Nayyar, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the VIF, Distinguished Guests, Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen, Namaskar,

I would like you to welcome to VIF the public lecture series, Vimarsh. Vimarsh has emerged as a platform for politicians, policy-makers, opinion makers, spiritual leaders, professionals and experts to address and interact with discerning public.

I extend my heartiest welcome to Gen. Bipin Rawat, the Chief of Army Staff, to deliver the Vimarsh talk today. Thank you General Rawat for finding time from your busy schedule and agreeing to speak to us on the important subject of, “ The Changing Security Environment : The Role of Indian Army”.

General Bipin Rawat was commissioned to the 5^th Battalion, the 11^th Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in December 1978, from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, where he was awarded the ‘Sword of Honour’. According to his official biography, the officer has vast experience in operations across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles. He commanded an infantry battalion along the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Sector, a Rashtriya Rifles Sector, an infantry division in the Kashmir Valley; and a Corps in the North East. General Rawat also commanded a multinational brigade, in a Chapter VII United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). As an Army Commander, he commanded a theatre of operations along the Western Front.

General Rawat, during the span of over 38 years service in uniform, has been awarded for gallantry and distinguished service with the UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, COAS Commendation on two occasions and the Army Commander’s Commendation. Whilst serving with the United Nations, he was twice awarded the Force Commander’s Commendation. Academically inclined, the General has authored numerous articles on national security and leadership which have been published in various journals and publications. He was awarded M. Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University and holds diplomas in Management and Computer Studies respectively. Later, General Bipin Rawat completed his research on strategic studies on military media, and was awarded Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D) from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut.

He assumed the appointment of the Chief of the Army Staff on 31 Dec 2016.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

India’s national security environment is changing rapidly and acquiring new characteristics. The building up the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the operationalisation of the Gwadar Port, the increasing militarisation of the Indian Ocean and the emergence of the concept of Indo-Pacific are some of the recent developments. India’s security is closely intertwined with developments in the neighbourhood and the extended neighbourhood. The onset of cyberwarfare adds new dimension in warfare.

India’s strategic interests also lie far away from the Indian shores. Yet, many challenges are in the immediate neighbourhood. The long stand-off between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army in 2017 at Doklam came as a highly unusual and unexpected event. The stand-off was resolved diplomatically by the two sides only after seventy days. It came as a matter of great satisfaction and relief that the Indian Army did not blink in that stand-off. In September 2016, the Indian Army conducted, and for the first time made public, its operations across the Line of Control on what has been called the ‘Surgical Strikes’. The resolute counter-terrorism action taken by the Indian Army has been much discussed. In the meanwhile the Indian Army has been involved in a series of counter-terrorism actions. Its personnel and infrastructure have been subject to numerous terrorist attacks recently. The Indian Army has significant international experience also. It has been contributing to the UN Peace Keeping Forces and has been a part of numerous UN missions. It has a role in providing global security.

It is not surprising that the Army’s actions come for intense media scrutiny and debate. While discharging its tough duty, the Army has to ensure that while it is fighting with numerous adversaries simultaneously, it does not lose in the battle of narratives in the media and in social media space. While fighting on multiple fronts, the Army has to ensure that it is ready for hybrid warfare across the spectrum of conflicts. Keeping itself ready will require resources, appropriate force structures, jointmanship, new doctrines, new management methods and professional military education. Modernisation of the armed forces, including that of the Army, is a matter of great priority for the Government. However, it is also true that our adversaries are modernising and reorganising themselves rapidly. The Indian Army also faces the challenge of rapidly building the strategic infrastructure in the border areas.

The role of Indian Army in national security has been, and will remain paramount. To talk about these and other issues I invite Gen Rawat to address us.