Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan stressed the important lessons that can be drawn from the Russia-Ukraine Conflict on Friday. While asserting his thoughts over the conflict that has affected various countries in several ways, said that we need to be more self-reliant. In an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue, Gen Chauhan also said the government's initiative to ensure self-reliance in defence is providing the option to produce key platforms and weapons systems in large numbers.
We need to be self-reliant
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan while talking about learnings from the Ukraine war said, 'The biggest lesson from this conflict is that we need to be self-reliant.'
Self-reliance in Defence Sector
While focusing on the topic of 'self-reliance in Defence Sector', he said that the armed force has taken some baby steps in the past 2 to 3 years. 'Yes, we've just taken some baby steps actually, for the past 2-3 yrs. A large number of initiatives taken by the government. And I think for these initiatives to succeed, the driving force would be the Services themselves,' said CDS General Anil Chauhan.
"In case of India, actually we have to see what kind of challenge we may face in the future. We do not think that there is going to be a long drawn kind of a conflict, like what's happening in Europe," he said. "We need to be self-reliant -- that is the biggest lesson for us (from the Ukraine war). We cannot be dependent on supplies of our weapons from outside. That's the one big lesson we take from the conflict," he said. Gen Chauhan was replying to a question.
Modern-day wars are going to be 'short and swift'
The Chief of Defence Staff also said there was a view that the modern-day wars are going to be "short and swift". "But what we are seeing is a longish kind of a war." The Chief of Defence Staff said a large number of initiatives have been taken by the government for self-reliant initiative and that the services would be the driving force for it to succeed. Gen Chauhan said if the services strongly go for it, then "we are going to achieve whatever the government wants."
