The Army Commanders Conference opened in New Delhi on Wednesday, bringing the senior leadership of the Indian Army together for three days under the chairmanship of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Dhiraj Seth.

The headline item is a new Land Warfare Doctrine. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is to release it during the conference, which runs until Friday.

Army Commanders Conference sets three-day agenda in New Delhi

The conference is the apex-level forum of the Indian Army and meets twice a year. According to the Ministry of Defence, commanders will deliberate the evolving security environment, operational preparedness, capability development and transformation initiatives aimed at a future-ready force. The forum will also review ongoing initiatives, identify future thrust areas and frame policy directions.

The Defence Minister will address the Army Commanders Conference.

Talks on contemporary security issues are lined up from the Chief of Defence Staff, General NS Raja Subramani, and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan. The Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will also speak, the only civilian official named among the speakers.

The Navy held its own apex meeting less than a month ago, when the Naval Commanders Conference at Nausena Bhawan drew the CDS and the Army Chief.

Land Warfare Doctrine to be released by the Defence Minister

The doctrine will provide an overarching framework to prepare the Army for the challenges posed by the changing character of warfare and future conflicts, the ministry said. The Army last issued a Land Warfare Doctrine in 2018.

First conference under General Dhiraj Seth

This is the first such conference chaired by General Dhiraj Seth since he took over as the 31st COAS on 30 June. On his first day in office he set out five priorities under the acronym VIJAY, standing for Vigilance, Innovation and Transformation, Jointness and Integration, Aatmanirbharta and Yoddha First.

UN peacekeepers to be felicitated at the Army Commanders Conference

The Defence Minister will also unveil the annual United Nations Journal of the Indian Army. He will felicitate Army personnel recognised for their service as United Nations peacekeepers, honouring their professionalism.

India is among the largest troop contributors to the missions of United Nations peacekeeping. The Army prepares its contingents at the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in New Delhi, which in August hosted women officers from ASEAN countries on a UN course for women military officers.

COAS to confer green station and flight safety awards

General Dhiraj Seth will present awards for Green Military Stations and Aviation Flight Safety.

The Green Military Station awards recognise excellence in environmental sustainability and resource management across Army stations. The Aviation Flight Safety awards go to units for building a strong safety culture in flying operations, according to the Indian Army.