Former Army Chief Manoj Pande stresses on collective approach to understand battlefield challenges

Former Army Chief General Manoj Pande on Tuesday stressed on a collective approach to understand the challenges in the battlefield and using technology and training to meet them with efficiency. He was addressing a gathering at a seminar on the topic of 'Battlefield Breakthroughs: Harnessing Technology for Victory' at Chandimandir Military Station.

The Western Command in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi organised this seminar, according to an official release.

The impetus being given to keeping pace with technology in war-fighting in the Indian Army was evident from the subject matter experts who spoke on various issues over the day, it said.


General Pande laid stress on a collective approach to understand the challenges in the battlefield and using technology and training to meet them with efficiency.

Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Western Command, while addressing the seminar, said the Army must strive to be more adaptable and urged officers to have a steep learning curve in the technology domain and innovate to adapt to the new generation warfare challenges.

The sessions were curated to build an understanding of how emerging technologies can be absorbed and integrated to empower the soldier, enhance his performance and overall enhance the operational capability of the Army.

The first two sessions concentrated on technology factors shaping the ongoing global conflicts.

Insight into various technological issues impacting the defence forces was given by imminent speakers, key amongst them being manifestation of large parts of conflicts transcending into the Grey Zone and adaptive strategies available as options, it said.

Some of the sessions were dedicated to understanding the changes which need to be introduced in various organisations, units, HR management, training, tactics and the likes to facilitate quick absorption of niche technologies.

A 'Whole of the Nation' approach and the importance of self-reliance through indigenous manufacturing and research and development were highlighted to enable adoption of the technologies to meet the current and future battlefield requirements including military logistics for the Army.