Strategic autonomy practical necessity amid changing global order: Army Commander
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South Western Command, Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh, on Thursday highlighted the importance of strategic autonomy in an era marked by geopolitical volatility and complex security challenges.
He was speaking at the sixth edition of General K Sundarji Memorial Lecture hosted by the Mechanised Infantry Centre and School in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies.
"Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving global order defined by intensifying competition between great powers, geo-economic fragmentation, technological contestation and regional conflicts, strategic autonomy is no longer merely a diplomatic aspiration but a practical necessity for nations to safeguard their sovereignty, economy, security and long-term interest," he said.
The seminar deliberated on the theme "Challenges of Pursuing Strategic Autonomy in an Increasingly Fractious World".
Former diplomat Pankaj Saran and former vice-admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh also attended the programme.
"Key discussions focused on recalibrating India's foreign policy in a multi-polar world; the impact of emerging technologies and geo-economic competition on national security; strengthening defence preparedness, jointness and indigenisation; maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and balancing economic integration with national resilience," a defence spokesperson said.
Deliberations were also held on emerging geopolitical developments, including the implications the recent conflicts have had on India's strategic calculus.
