India should be prepared to tackle challenges like cyber warfare, climate change: President

Udhagamandalam, Nov 28: India should be prepared to tackle any situation in a fast-changing geopolitical environment, including national security challenges like cyber warfare and terrorism, President Droupadi Murmu said here on Thursday.

Also, she stressed the need to develop a deep understanding of national and global scenarios as the geopolitical dynamics have changed the security landscape.

“The issue of climate change is acquiring a new dimension which needs to be understood and managed. Updated knowledge and cutting-edge technology, based on research, need to be applied. I am confident that our armed personnel officers will rise to the future challenges,” the President said in her address at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, in Nilgiris district.

“In a fast-changing geopolitical environment, we need to be prepared to tackle any situation,” Murmu stressed.

“Geopolitical dynamics have changed the security landscape and there’s a need to develop a deep understanding of national and global issues. We not only have to secure our national interest but also prepare for new national security challenges like cyber warfare and terrorism,” the President said.

India, she said, was rising and the world was acknowledging the country’s role in various sectors, including defence. The country was moving towards indigenisation and self-reliance to keep the armed forces in a position to meet the needs and challenges.

India was being developed as a major defence manufacturing hub and was moving towards a reliable defence partner and a defence exporter. “India’s defence industry is rapidly adopting the latest technology and is moving ahead in line with the vision (of Prime Minister Narendra Modi) of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant),” the President said addressing the faculty and student officers of the Armed Forces who are undergoing training at the prestigious tri-services institute, DSSC at Wellington.

India’s defence companies have set a new benchmark and through those firms, the country exported defence equipment to more than hundred nations. India’s defence exports grew by 30 times over the past decade and the Make in India programme played a major role in this development, the President said.

President Murmu expressed pride that women were already making their mark in every field including our armed forces and expressed happiness over woman officers deployed even in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield.

She took pride that women officers were now commanding various units in all the three services, and pointed out to a lady officer in the Indian Navy who has been posted as commanding officer of a frontline warship for the very first time. She shared her experience of visiting onboard INS Vikrant during her ‘Day at Sea’ programme in Goa, where she met young and energetic women Agniveers and women sailors.

The increasing strength and role of women in all spheres are encouraging and inspiring for all, especially young girls, she expressed and added that she looked forward to witnessing more and more women joining armed forces, where they can demonstrate exceptional capabilities and break new grounds in uncharted territories. She highlighted that women warriors have written glorious chapters of Indian history in not so distant past.

Commandant of the Defence Services Staff College, Lt General Virendra Vats, said 38 officers of defence forces from 26 friendly countries were part of the student officers who were undergoing in-service training at the premier tri-service institute. He said some of its international alumni have served their countries as Heads of State and Chiefs of defence forces.

An international student officer and a woman officer from the Indian Air Force shared their experiences about the ongoing training.

State Minister Meyyanathan too participated.

President Droupadi Murmu paid tributes to the nation’s valiant soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the nation at the Madras Regiment War Memorial, Wellington. She also interacted with and felicitated ‘Veer Naris’ on the occasion.