Self-Reliance in Defence Key to Strategic Autonomy: Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth

Pune: Emphasising the importance of self-reliance in defence, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, Army Commander, Southern Command, said that Atmanirbharta was essential for achieving strategic autonomy and equipping Indian soldiers with indigenous solutions.

“Atmanirbharta is not just about reducing defence imports. It’s about achieving strategic autonomy — the freedom to make our own choices and equip our soldiers with homegrown systems suited to Indian conditions,” he said.

Lt Gen Seth described self-reliance in defence as a key part of a secure and developed India. “I see two major pillars of a Viksit Bharat 2047 — Surakshit Bharat (a secure India) and Atmanirbhar Bharat (a self-reliant India),” he said.

He said the Army was working to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and battlefield application through greater collaboration with academia and industry. “We are looking at the academia to innovate, the industry to incubate, and the armed forces to induct,” he added.

Citing examples, he referred to collaborations with IITs under initiatives such as Agnishore and Parivartak. “For instance, with IIT Chennai we developed the Sambhav smartphone, which proved useful during Ops Sindoor,” he said.

The Southern Command chief said over 30 top institutes, including IITs and DRDO labs, fall under the Command’s area of responsibility, along with nearly 60% of India’s MSMEs and startups. “We are working with these MSMEs and startups to promote defence innovation and indigenous production,” he said.

Lt Gen Seth said the armed forces were guided by the Prime Minister’s vision of JAI — Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation — outlined at the recent Combined Commanders Conference. He also referred to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s emphasis on theatrisation as the key reform for future preparedness.

“Our aim is to ensure India is ready to fight and win wars with equipment designed, developed and produced in India,” he said.