General Anil Chauhan Highlights India's Security Challenges and Global Defence Disruption

General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, addressed key security challenges faced by India, including Pakistan's proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir and the border dispute with China. He emphasized the significance of civil-military fusion and self-reliance in defense amid global geopolitical flux and disruptions in supply chains.

In a significant address, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan outlined the prominent security challenges India faces, notably Pakistan's proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir and the prolonged border dispute with China. Speaking at a FICCI conference in New Delhi, General Chauhan described the global geopolitical environment as being 'in a state of flux.'

General Chauhan's remarks come amid the backdrop of the ongoing political situation in Bangladesh and other global conflicts such as those in Myanmar, Sudan, and Congo. He stressed that the world is currently experiencing its most violent phase since World War II, affecting global defence supply chains. The volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) of the current world order have particularly strained the arms industry, grappling with a widening gap between demand and supply.

The CDS underscored the importance of civil-military fusion in promoting the nation’s self-reliance or 'Aatmanirbharta' drive. Emphasizing that India cannot remain dependent on foreign imports in times of geopolitical instability, General Chauhan called for a stronger armed force backed by an equally robust industrial sector. He noted that innovations in tactics and technology, illustrated by the ongoing Ukraine conflict and India’s Kargil war experience, could pave new opportunities for defense diplomacy and indigenous capabilities.