Article Posted on : - Oct 16, 2012

NEW DELHI (PTI): Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh has said "hollowness" in the country's defence preparedness will be addressed, pushing for a "new direction" in the modernisation of his 1.2 million strong force through emerging technologies and required operational changes.

Speaking at the Army's bi-annual Commanders' Conference on Monday, Gen Bikram Singh also highlighted the requirement for maintaining extremely high levels of operational preparedness at all times.

"There was a need to address hollowness in defence preparedness and undertake modernisation with added vigour," he said.

Gen Bikram Singh's predecessor Gen V K Singh had highlighted the critical shortage of arms and ammunition faced by the various arms and services of the force in a secret letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Noting that modernisation was a "complex and dynamic" process the Army Chief said, "a new direction is being carved out by incorporating relevant transformation issues including several emerging technologies and required operational changes."

The transformation process was first talked about in the force during the regime of Gen V K Singh where several test-beds were created to implement changes in the structures of the Army.

The meeting also discussed about increasing the job avenues for ex-servicemen after they quit the Army.

During the meeting, Gen Singh is also believed to have discussed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states as well as the situation along China and Pakistan borders.

All the services are holding their Commanders' Conferences this week which will culminate in the Combined Commanders' Conference to be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

The three forces are expected to discuss the creation of three new joint commands for aerospace, cyber security and Special Forces.