'The contemporary security threats facing India are varied, complex and entail the entire spectrum of conflict to include both conventional and unconventional warfare, including proxy war, terrorism and insurgencies. It ranges from 'traditional land-centric threats' along our borders to asymmetric threats including proxy war,' the ministry told the MPs.
According to the latest report of the standing committee tabled in Parliament on Monday, the defence ministry says it is alive to the threats and is taking whatever steps that are required to secure the nation.
'The imperative of attaining and maintaining a decisive combat edge coupled with achieving a high level of operational preparedness by concurrent modernisation and force structuring are important tenets for manifestation of our strategy. The strategic imperatives of our strategy are embodied in the raksha mantri's (defence Minister's) 'operational directives' which are reviewed from time to time.
'Our strategy is constantly refined keeping in view the changing security paradigm in our immediate and extended neighbourhood and the world at large. Steps, as deemed operationally imperative, for the development of the necessary capability are being vigorously pursued by modernisation through acquisitions, restructuring, transformation and right optimisation of our force structure to cater for assessed threats in the perceived security paradigm in our region.
'Critical elements like the 3rd dimensional offensive capability, night fighting capability, punitive and precision firepower, maneuverability, surveillance, air defence, operational logistics are developed/ pursued/ acquired in consonance with our long term perspective plans in order to attain the requisite operational capability and to maintain the Indian Army's readiness to respond swiftly and effectively to safeguard our territorial interests and the sovereignty of the nation.'
After having heard the ministry's submission, the standing committee, comprising members from across the political spectrum, said: 'The committee feel that there is an urgent need to build the defence capabilities to face any of the challenges including the worst scenario of two-front war. As such the committee strongly recommends that the requisite allocations should be made available to the ministry of defence for their different programmes. Besides, the ministry of defence on their part should also build capacities to utilise the allocated resources.'
