Powerful Militaries Essential for War Deterrence: Lt Gen retd Vinod G Khandare

In a recent panel discussion, Lt Gen retd Vinod G Khandare spoke about the need for strong militaries to deter wars. He emphasized that strength can come from various sources including conventional and unconventional capabilities, diplomacy and economics.

The role of the military in maintaining peace and deterring war was underscored by Lt Gen retd Vinod G Khandare, Principal Adviser, Ministry of Defence. He was speaking at a panel discussion on 'Evolution of Indian Military Systems, Warfighting and Strategic Thought- Current Research in the Field and Way Forward' held on September 29th. The event was organised by the Army in partnership with the United Service Institution of India (USI) under Project Udbhav.

Military Strength as Deterrence

During his address, Khandare emphasized that militaries should be robust enough to deter wars rather than instigate them. "The wisdom was, you will not get into a war unless it is inevitable. Militaries have to be powerful enough to deter war," he said. This perspective challenges common misconceptions about the purpose of militaries being solely for warfare.

Khandare stressed that strength comes from multiple sources including conventional capability, unconventional capability, diplomacy and economics among others. These elements collectively contribute towards creating a formidable military force capable of preventing conflicts.

Project Udbhav: Rediscovering Indic Heritage

Project Udbhav is an initiative launched by the Indian Army aimed at rediscovering India's profound Indic heritage related to statecraft and strategic thoughts derived from ancient Indian texts on statecraft, warfare, diplomacy and grand strategy. The project seeks to explore India’s rich historical narratives within these domains.

The Ministry of Defence stated that this project emphasizes understanding broad spectrums which include - but are not limited to - concepts such as dharma (righteousness), artha (material wealth), kama (desire) & moksha (liberation). It aims at integrating these ancient principles into modern day strategic thought processes thereby providing innovative solutions to contemporary challenges.

The initiative is a testament to the Indian Army's commitment towards integrating traditional wisdom with modern military strategies. It reflects an approach that values historical narratives and indigenous knowledge systems in shaping strategic thought and action.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Lt Gen retd Vinod G Khandare’s address brings forth the importance of strength in multiple facets for militaries, not just for warfare but more importantly for deterring wars. The launch of Project Udbhav underscores this perspective by seeking insights from India's ancient texts on statecraft and strategy. This initiative highlights how history and tradition can be instrumental in shaping robust modern-day military strategies that prioritize peacekeeping over warfare.