The faculty and course members of 64^th National Defence College Course, called on the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (October 1, 2024).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the dynamic global geo-political environment poses numerous challenges. The fast pace at which events have unfolded in the recent past, could not have been foreseen perhaps a decade earlier. Thus, all officers, whether from civil services or defence services, must be aware of the challenges and vulnerabilities they face, and the strengths that can help deal with such challenges. One strength that they must have and cannot do without is being able to utilise technology for the greater good of their organisations, countries and humankind at large. Innovation is another factor that will keep them future-ready.

The President said that today, our security concerns extend beyond the preservation of territorial integrity and encompass other areas of national well-being, such as economic, environmental, energy security, and cyber security issues. Addressing these concerns requires intensive research and calls for a holistic approach.

The President said that cyber-attacks have emerged as a major threat to national security. Dealing with and countering cyber-attacks requires high-end technological intervention as well as robust digital infrastructure along with a well-trained and specialised human resource. This is one of the areas where civil services and armed forces must join hands to create a secure nationwide system capable of thwarting such attacks.  She said that technological developments have made it mandatory for nations to set up and utilise the digital infrastructure. Huge amount of data and sensitive information are also available in the governance systems which cannot be left unsecured. She urged all to understand the gravity of this issue and take concrete measures to address it.

Click here to see the President's speech

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MJPS/SR/SKS