On Israel-Hamas war, Rajnath Singh says expect the unexpected

The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel came up for discussions at a meeting of top Army commanders in the capital on Wednesday, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stressing on the need to be prepared for the unexpected and learn from current incidents.

Sources said the minister referred to the unexpected assault by Hamas terrorists who breached the fence with Israel in Gaza and killed over a thousand civilians and soldiers. He asked top commanders to be ready for all contingencies.

"We must keep learning from incidents, which include global ones that are happening in the present, and also in the past. Expect the unexpected and thereby plan, strategise and prepare accordingly," the minister said in his address at the second Army Commanders' Conference of 2023 that took place in a hybrid format.


The minister added that war preparedness needs to be a continuous exercise and security forces need to be prepared for uncertainties and the unpredictable. "Unconventional and asymmetric warfare, including hybrid war will be part of future conventional wars and the same is evident in the recent conflicts happening in various parts of the world. This necessitates that Armed Forces should keep all these facets in consideration while planning and formulating strategies," he said.

The manner in which Hamas carried out the mass attack is being closely studied by security forces, given the common security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir, where the fence along the Line of Control (LoC) is an important obstacle in deterring terrorist infiltrations.

"During the event, Indian Army's apex leadership comprehensively deliberated upon all aspects of existing security scenarios, the situation along the borders and in the hinterland and challenges for the present security apparatus," officials said.