The capability and performance of our Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor has not just been an eye opener for our citizens, but has also left the entire world awe-struck, Governor of Punjab Gulab Chand Kataria said during his inaugural address at the 9th edition of the Military Literature Festival (MLF) here today.
Stressing upon the importance of maintaining requisite deterrence capability, he said that no enemy dares to take upon a powerful nation, but it is the weak who is always hit. The world now recognises and respects India's defence capabilities, he added.
The governor also highlighted India’s growing indigenisation of defence systems and their export potential.
Referring to Punjab's unmatched contribution to the defence forces, Kataria said that valour exhibited by the sons and daughters of Punjab in different wars remains a perennial source of motivation for the entire nation.
Underscoring the salience of producing correct literature in nation-building, he said that the transmission of our war histories to next generation remains pivotal towards nurturing a formidable India. Youth power forms the fulcrum of India’s dream to achieve superpower status by 2047, he added.
The Governor stressed that we must let our youth grasp the complete import of our glorious history full of sacrifices of our soldiers in service of the nation. “Our defence forces bind us as one and the whole county is eternally grateful to our soldiers,” he added. An avid motorcycle rider in his youth, Kataria expressed his desire to join next year’s Bravehearts Ride, a motorcycle rally held as a precursor to the MLF.
A joint initiative of the Punjab government, Chandigarh Administration and Western Command, MLF is an annual affair that offers the youngsters aspiring to join defence forces as well as the citizens a peep into military life, besides laying out a platform for discussions on issues of national, international and geo-political significance. This year’s theme is “Heartland and Rimland Powers in a Multi-domain Warfare and India”, besides commemorating 60 years of the 1965 Indo-Pak War and the veterans who fought in it.
Terming the MLF to be a melting pot of defence thought and strategy, MLF Chairman Lt Gen TS Shergill, delved upon the multi-pronged threats emanating from electronic, space, artificial intelligence and drones confronting India, and said India's brightest minds remain one up on any enemy.
Delving upon the application of air power in multi-domain warfare in the context of Operation Sindoor, Lt Gen Raj Shukla, former GOC-in-C Army Training Command and Air Marshal Rajeev Sachdeva, former Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff stressed upon the need to develop space, cyber and electronic warfare capabilities and integrate all war fighting platforms. They said that while unmanned vehicles will play an important role in future wars, manned aircraft cannot be done away with.
Lt Gen Anil Ahuja, former Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Air Marshal Ravi Kapoor, former AOC-in-C, Central Command and Yash Sinha, former High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, discussed the multi-domain warfare threats from China and Pakistan, delving upon historical perspectives, the collusion between the two and emerging scenarios.
A military delegation from the United Kingdom, led by Maj Gen John Kendall, Deputy Commander Field Army, educated the audience on the shared military heritage between the militaries of India and Great Britain that goes back.
