Indian Army Unveils Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 Focused on Reform & Security

CDD-2025 builds on the Army’s efforts to deepen strategic thinking, military innovation, and national security discourse as India moves toward the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

 

The Indian Army, in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), conducted the Curtain Raiser of the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 (CDD-2025) at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. The Dialogue, scheduled for 27–28 November 2025, will take place under the central theme: “Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat.”

CDD-2025 builds on the Army’s efforts to deepen strategic thinking, military innovation, and national security discourse as India moves toward the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. The Curtain Raiser brought together senior military leaders, policymakers, defence experts and members of the strategic community for a preview of the upcoming dialogue.

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Opening Session and Teaser Release

The event began with welcome remarks, followed by the formal release of the CDD-2025 teaser, offering a glimpse into the themes and strategic focus areas that will guide the upcoming discussions. The teaser highlighted defence reforms, jointness, technological transformation, and future security challenges shaping India’s evolving military posture.

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Fireside Chat with the Chief of the Army Staff

A key highlight of the Curtain Raiser was an engaging Fireside Chat with Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi. In a wide-ranging conversation, the COAS underscored the deep interconnection between national development and national security, reiterating that the vision of a developed India by 2047 depends on sustained internal stability and a secure external environment.

Security and Development Must Advance Together

General Dwivedi recalled the Ministry of Defence declaring 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, noting that continuous modernisation, structural reform, and capability enhancement are essential for India’s security architecture. He stressed that development initiatives gain momentum only when backed by robust national security, internal cohesion, and strategic foresight.

Operation SINDOOR: India's Firm Resolve

Referring to Operation SINDOOR, the COAS reiterated India’s uncompromising stand against terrorism. Emphasising the principle that “blood and water cannot flow together,” he highlighted the importance of accountability for entities supporting or enabling terrorist activities. The operation, he noted, demonstrated India’s calibrated yet firm approach toward protecting national interests and fostering regional stability.

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Special Address by Rajiv Chandrasekhar

Mr. Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Former Minister of State for Electronics & IT and Skill Development, delivered a special address focused on the intersection of technology, sovereignty, and national security. He emphasised that trusted and indigenous digital ecosystems—including semiconductors, cybersecurity frameworks, AI, space technologies, and advanced computing—are crucial to India’s long-term strategic independence.

Chandrasekhar highlighted that emerging technologies will determine the next era of global power dynamics and stressed the need for India to build resilient, secure, and innovation-driven digital capabilities.

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Panel Discussion: Atmanirbharta in Defence — Key to Sashakt Bharat

A vital component of the event was a panel discussion chaired by Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance). The panel comprised experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), defence industry leaders, academics, and technology innovators.

Key Focus Areas Discussed

• Indigenous design, development & innovation as the foundation of strategic autonomy

• Promotion of dual-use technologies bridging civilian and military applications

• Enhancing cooperation between DRDO, private industry, academia & start-ups

• Strengthening MSMEs and Defence Industrial Corridors as competitive, export-ready clusters

• Reforming procurement processes to encourage speed, transparency & agility

• Building resilient and diversified supply chains to reduce external dependencies

• Accelerating India’s deep-tech ecosystem to meet future battlefield needs in AI, robotics, quantum tech, cyber defence, hypersonics and autonomous systems

The discussions underscored that Atmanirbharta is not merely a slogan but a strategic necessity for securing India’s place in the emerging global order.

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Looking Ahead: CDD-2025 as a Strategic Convergence Platform

Slated for late November, CDD-2025 will bring together distinguished national and international experts to deliberate on:

• Defence reforms and modernisation

• Civil–military fusion for technological self-reliance

• India’s role as a security provider in the Indo-Pacific

• Future warfare, multi-domain operations & emerging threats

• Aligning defence capability development with India’s 2047 aspirations

The dialogue aims to spark new ideas, strengthen defence partnerships, and accelerate military transformation for a Sashakt (Empowered), Surakshit (Secure), and Viksit (Developed) Bharat.

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Young Leaders Forum: Preparing the Next Generation

As part of the broader series of engagements under CDD-2025, the Indian Army conducted the Young Leaders Forum on 31 October 2025, aimed at enhancing strategic thinking among youth. The forum provided young scholars, innovators, and student leaders an opportunity to engage with defence experts—nurturing the next generation of strategic thinkers and nation-builders.

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The Curtain Raiser reaffirmed that the Chanakya Defence Dialogue has emerged as one of India’s most important strategic platforms for shaping defence reforms, technological advancement, and security priorities for the coming decades.