Combined Commanders Conference

The Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) is an annual event where India’s top military commanders come together to discuss and brainstorm on military matters and national security. The conference serves as a platform for the country’s military leaders to exchange ideas, review the preparedness of the Armed Forces, and discuss the way forward.

This year, the theme of the CCC was ‘Ready, Resurgent, Relevant.’ The objective was to assess the progress made by the Armed Forces in meeting the challenges of modern warfare and ensuring that they remain prepared, resilient, and capable of fulfilling their mandate.

Theaterisation in the Armed Forces

One of the topics that were discussed during the CCC was theaterisation in the Armed Forces. This refers to the process of organizing military forces into functional commands or theaters. The objective is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of military operations by ensuring better coordination and integration between the various arms and services.

Preparing for ‘Aatmanirbharta’

The CCC 2023 also reviewed the progress made towards attaining ‘Aatmanirbharta’ or self-reliance in defence. The conference assessed the preparation of the Armed Forces and progress in the defence ecosystem towards achieving this objective.

During his speech at the CCC, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi complimented the Armed Forces for their role in nation-building and providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) assistance to friendly countries.

Defence Exports and Procurement Policy

India’s defence exports have been steadily increasing over the years, with the defence ministry setting a target of $5 billion for annual defence exports by 2024-25. In the financial year 2022-2023, the current value of India’s defence exports is Rs 15,920 crore.

The government has changed the Defence Procurement Policy to increase the indigenous content stipulated in various categories of procurement by about 10 percent, to support the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The Buy (Indian-IDDM) category is the most preferred way of defence goods acquisition. The categories of acquisition given preference over the ‘Buy (Global)’ category are ‘Buy (Indian)’, ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ & ‘Make’.

Earmarking Budget for Defence Research

To encourage defence research, the government has earmarked 25% of the defence research budget for the private sector in 2022-23, for newer innovation and developing niche technology. This move is aimed at boosting domestic defence research and reducing the country’s dependence on imports.

Month: Current Affairs – April, 2023

Category: Defence Current Affairs