“PRAGYAN CONCLAVE 2020”, a two-day Indian Army International Seminar being organised by Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), commenced on 04 Mar 2020 at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. The event brings together a cross-domain national and international experts to deliberate on the complex subject of ‘Changing Characteristics of Land Warfare and its Impact on the Military’.

This event was attended by Raksha Rajya Mantri (RRM), Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Chief of the Army Staff, General MM Naravane, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lieutenant General SK Saini along with other dignitaries from the Ministry of Defence, three Services, Central Armed Police Forces and leading Think Tanks & Academic Institutions of the country.

The seminar provided a platform for deliberations on emerging ideas, perspectives and narratives that define the ‘New Age Warfare’ which is increasingly witnessing a change in its character as well as battlespace with the usage of new ‘means’ to pursue the ‘ends’. 

The Keynote Address was delivered by RRM Shri Shripad Yesso Naik. He emphasised on the need for comprehensive transformation of the Armed Forces by taking a wider view of the changing security dynamics. He mentioned the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) as a significant step forward in this direction.

During the Inaugural Address, the Chief of the Army Staff stated that the ‘nature’ of warfare is ‘constant’; however, the ‘character’ keeps ‘evolving’. And with the advent of technology, Armed Forces need to be agile and keep pace with the continuous change. He also mentioned that the creation CDS has provided further impetus to the ‘jointmanship’ between the three Services.

On the first day of the Seminar, the subject experts deliberated on two key themes over two sessions. The first session delved on “Evolving Warfare: An Insight into the Changing Realm”, wherein the speakers reflected on the emerging trends in fighting future warfare and its implications on the military in terms of prospects and possibilities. While the second session focused on the theme “The Technological Revolution – A Seminal Challenge”, wherein the deliberations highlighted on the optics of Information Warfare in multi domain operations, cyber and space warfare and implications of AI and Robotics under new domains of battlespace in fighting  21^st century warfare. The second day of the Seminar will delve on the themes- ‘Transformation in the Battle Spaces’ and ‘Hybrid/Sub-Conventional Warfare’.  

During the event, the Chief of the Army Staff also felicitated the winners of the ‘Field Marshal Manekshaw Open Essay Competition on National Security’- a flagship event of CLAWS to encourage strategic thinking in the youth of the country.

 

Col Aman Anand

PRO (Army)

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