Project Udbhav Launched

October 23, 2023

India has initiated a unique endeavor called ‘Project Udbhav,’ aimed at blending ancient strategic wisdom with contemporary military practices. The project, launched by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, seeks to create an indigenous strategic vocabulary rooted in India’s philosophy and culture to address modern security challenges effectively. Project Udbhav is a collaborative effort between the Indian Army and the United Service Institution of India (USI), a defense services think tank.

Synthesizing Ancient Wisdom with Modern Military Pedagogy

Project Udbhav’s primary goal is to integrate ancient wisdom with modern military pedagogy through interdisciplinary research, workshops, and leadership seminars. It seeks to explore previously under-explored thoughts and theories related to strategic thinking, statecraft, and warfare. By doing so, it aims to enrich military training curricula and foster a deeper understanding of India’s strategic culture.

Understanding Ancient Military Systems and Strategic Culture

The project aims to educate junior military leaders, senior military commanders, and academia about the theories, concepts, and teachings available in classical texts, such as Chanakya’s Arthashastra, Nitisara by Kamandaki, and the Mahabharata. It seeks to delve into India’s 5,000-year-old civilizational legacy and its vast collection of intellectual texts, thinkers, and schools of thought.

Creating a Knowledge Pool and Publications

Project Udbhav intends to establish a knowledge pool for scholars and defense personnel, facilitating further studies and understanding the relevance of ancient military wisdom in a contemporary context. Reports, papers, and findings from seminars, workshops, and discussions will serve as the basis for creating valuable publications for wider dissemination and reference.

Examples from Ancient Indian History

The project highlights examples from ancient Indian history, emphasizing the wisdom of leaders like Chanakya, Thiruvalluvar, Chhatrapati Shivaji, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It underscores the importance of strategic alliances, diplomacy, ethical conduct in warfare, guerrilla tactics, and foresightedness in defense strategies.

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