General Dhiraj Seth spells out 'SAMARTH' vision for boosting Indian Army's operational capabilities

New Delhi: Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth on Sunday said an army should have the capability to endure long-drawn conflicts, while technology must make soldiers faster and better informed, as he put forth the vision of 'SAMARTH' to enhance the operational readiness of the force.

In his address at the NDTV Defence Summit, Gen Seth also said that an effective force should be capable of adapting and upgrading its capabilities faster than evolving threats, while modernising itself and remaining mission-ready in the era of "transformative wars".

He spelt out his vision for the Indian Army in the acronym 'SAMARTH', saying the word in Hindi means capable.


Explaining each letter of the coinage, he said 'S' stands for sustainability - the ability to endure long-drawn conflicts, 'A' stands for adaptation, while 'M' represents modernisation to be mission-ready.

The next 'A' stands for acceleration, meaning integration of capabilities that directly enhance the effectiveness of legacy systems, besides infusion of technology, he added.

'R' in 'SAMARTH' means resilience, while 'T' stands for technology, which includes AI, autonomous systems, robotics, drones, etc., while 'H' means human-machine teaming, the Army chief said.

"Technology must make our soldiers faster, better informed and more effective. It should allow him to make better judgement," Gen Seth said.

"That is what 'SAMARTH' means - being a capable force, having endurance and an ability to adapt, and stay ahead of others in this era of transformative wars," he said.