Rajnath Singh directs military brass to draw lessons from Iran war

NEw new delhi: Defence government minister Rajnath Singh on tues asked the military machine plaque to draw “operational and technological” lessons from the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran to bolster India’s defence preparedness. The directive came during a wide-ranging review of the West Asia crisis, which has disrupted global supply chains, sparked a surge in oil and gas prices, and rattled the global economy.“We need to formalise a comprehensive integrated roadmap for the next decade factoring in the lessons learnt, challenges and opportunities going forward whilst ensuring Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) and operational readiness across all fronts,” Singh said at a meeting attended by the chief of defence staff, the three service chiefs, the defence secretary and other senior officials.He was briefed on the latest global and regional security developments, the impact of a possible escalation of the ongoing conflict on India, and the challenges and opportunities presented by the current geopolitical uncertainties.“The impact of the (West Asia) situation on supply chain management towards procurement and production of defence equipment, including maintenance and serviceability of existing equipment, was also examined,” the defence ministry said.The review came two days after the government decided on a range of measures to ensure food, fuel and fertiliser security amid disruptions due to the conflict in West Asia. On Sunday, it unveiled immediate and long-term steps to ensure the availability of fuel, and diversification of imports of fertilisers and other essential needs.On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the West Asia crisis has sparked a serious global energy crisis and disrupted key trade routes, with direct implications for India’s economy and supply chains. Speaking in Rajya Sabha, he said the crisis has affected the movement of goods and led to uncertainty in the supply of essential commodities such as petrol, diesel, gas and fertilisers.Days after the Iran war broke out, navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said that recent global conflicts have raised questions about the existing notion of "short and decisive wars," adding that countries need to stay prepared for challenges by building their own defence industrial complexes.“Not only must one produce (military equipment) at scale but one must also be ready to upgrade while producing, because technology is changing at the speed of thought. We have seen the need for that and must be ready on that count,” he said, responding to a question about lessons learnt from recent military confrontations and industrial capacity requirements for modern warfare.