Combined Commanders' Conference 2021 will be held from March 4 to March 6 in the Kevadia town of Gujarat.
For the first time, junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and jawans from armed forces would be taking part in India's top military conference which will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this week.
The Combined Commanders' Conference (CCE) had till now involved only Commander-in-Chief rank officers who along with their respective Services chiefs would be addressed by the Prime Minister and given the directives on dealing with the security challenges perceived by the government.
The primary focus areas during the CCE will be theaterisation of armed forces, self-reliance in defence sector and evolving threats in the region and PM Modi is is expected to give strategic guidance to the military.
"The jawans would take part in different discussions involving issues related to the functioning of forces and operations," government sources told ANI.
Sources further said that the suggestion to involve jawans in the discussions came from the Prime Minister's Office itself. The jawans participating in the discussions would include Junior Commissioned Officers and Non-commissioned officers and they would be giving presentations on topics given to them, the sources said.
Sources also said the insights of jawans come in very handy in day to day functioning of the forces and during the recent India-China clash also, the jawans provided valuable suggestions during the digging of trenches and building defences against the Chinese.
Prime Minister has changed the usual way of conducting the combined commanders' conference as he took it out from the South Block and held it on operational bases. After his first address in 2014, at a conference in the south block, it has been held on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and Jodhpur airbase.
Combined Commanders' Conference 2021 will be held from March 4 to March 6 in the Kevadia town of Gujarat in front of the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel's Statue of Unity where the top brass of the military would be staying in tents for the duration of the conference.
While Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address the top commanders of the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy on March 5, Prime Minister Modi will address them on March 6.
"During the conference, the setting up a new air defence command and maritime command will be discussed at length. Implementation of the air defence command timeline will be deliberated upon," a government source told IANS.
The formation of theatre commands will synergise the capabilities and combat potential of the three forces during war and peace. Air defence command and maritime command are part of the restricting plan of the Indian armed forces as was announced by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat last year.
The newly created Department of Military Affairs is working towards the creation of joint military commands along with theatre command for the last one year.
(With inputs from ANI & IANS)
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 "In a first, JCO's, jawans to take part in PM Modi-headed top military conference")
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