'Growing Instability in Neighbourhood a Challenge'

New Delhi, June 18: Defence Minister AK Antony today asked the Armed Forces top brass to draw up a roadmap for the transformation of the three Services to meet the present day varied security challenges.

Inaugurating the two-day Unified Commanders'-in-Chief Conference here, Minister Antony directed that the transformation plan be developed under the overarching principle of 'jointness' for highest efficacy.

He further expressed confidence that the central idea of the transformation would be given the required shape so that the future perspective plans of India's defence were not only efficient and cost effective but also kept pace with the changing times.

Observing that terrorism and the role of non-state players were the major challenges facing the country, the Minister stressed the need for developing a 'security paradigm' that was relevant to the emerging multi-polar world order.

''The new paradigm ideally should be a mix of security cooperation, developing strategic partnerships and deterrence in consonance with our security and strategic interests. Our strategic policy must reorient our relation with the major powers, developing economies and our neighbours'' Minister Antony further regrettedd that while Globalisation had been accompanied by widely accepted international rules to cope with its economic and commercial dimensions, similar mechanisms were ''either absent or still in the process of evolution'' when it came to dealing with terrorism and the emergence of non-state players.

''Often these mechanisms are affected by vested interests... We should articulate the terms which serve the interests of the nations most effectively.'' He also urged the senior Commanders of the Army, Navy and the Air Force attending the top-level confabulations to factor the 'changing security architecture' while evolving the country's long-term strategic thought because the global war on terror had shifted the focus of major powers to the Asian region leading to realignments.

He informed the Conference that the Eleventh Army Plan document had been finalised and was expected to be approved soon.

''This will help in planned development, modernisation and upgradation of the Army by ensuring timely actions for acquisition of requisite weapons and equipment. It should also help in enhancing efficiency in planned expenditure of the budget allotted to the Armed Forces,'' he said.

The Minister also dwelt upon the security scenario in the immediate neighbourhood and beyond pointing out that the most crucial challenge facing India in the near future was the growing instability in its neighbourhood.

''The rising tide of religious fundamentalism and cross-border terrorism continues unabated and this has affected our regional security environment too'' Referring to Afghanistan as a case in point, Minister Antony said the situation there had deteriorated recently due to the resurgence of Taliban.

''Certain vested interests are trying to scuttle our role in rebuilding Afghanistan.We are committed to supporting this process and helping Afghanistan emerge as a stable, democratic state.'' Also, the Defence Minister expressed concern at the continuing cases of suicide and fratricide in the Forces and asked the top Commanders to address the issue ''most urgently''.

''I once again urge you all to take all possible steps to reduce the stress on our Jawans. I wish to emphasise the urgent need to lay adequate emphasis on the humanitarian side through more humane man management.There must be more opportunities for enhanced interaction between senior and junior officers both qualitatively and quantitatively... The officers and commanders have to become more accessible to Jawans and promptly attend to their grievances.' Minister Antony further reiterated the Government's commitment to achieving absolute transparency and fairness in defence deals. The Offset Policy, he said, sought to provide equal opportunity to medium and small-scale entrepreneurs.

''This will assist smaller players in upgrading their engineering and manufacturing skills.'' The Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee as also Chief of Army Staff General JJ Singh, Heads of the Joint Services Headquarters, the respective Commanders-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Unified Command and the Strategic Forces Command and the Commandants of the Tri-Services Institutions are attending the two-day conference.

The Services top-brass was expected to discuss the strategy to bring about further coordination between the Army, Navy and the Air Force as also review the progress achieved so far in this transformation and try to work out a conceptual way forward.

UNI