Cyber warfare a serious threat, cautions Antony

Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday asked the top brass of the Armed Forces to work in unison and make cyber systems as secure and as non-porous as possible, adding that cyber-warfare is becoming a serious threat to security. 

"The paradigms of security in the age of Information Technology are seldom constant. The evolving security matrix is complex and calls for co-operation and coordination of the highest level," said Antony in his opening address to the Army Commanders Conference.

"Today, no single service can work in isolation. Cyber warfare and threats to cyber security are fast becoming the next generation of threats. We need to make our cyber systems as secure and as non-porous as possible," he added.

The dfence mnister made a strong plea for synergy among the three Forces and said the future security matrix calls for a high-degree of cooperation and inter-dependence among the services,  "The primary area of focus should be to develop as a force capable of operating in joint network-centric environment," claimed Antony.

"Besides these the other emerging areas that warrant synergised development are space, NBC, Cyber Warfare capabilities, Air Defence, Rotary Wing Assistance, precision munitions, standoff targeting and missiles, communication systems, logistics and joint training," he added.

The defence minister further said that though significant progress has been made towards accomplishing jointness in various operational training and administrative facets among the three Services, there are a number of areas congruence that need to be strengthened further.

"It is in our long term national interest that we become self reliant in the field of critical defence equipment. Modernisation plans of the Armed Forces encompass force modernisation and development of critical combat capabilities, not only against potential adversaries, but across the spectrum of conflict. Modernisation of the Armed Forces wholly depends upon the capital acquisition plan," said Antony.

"However, the acquisition of critical technologies from foreign countries is subject to various technology denial regimes and the prevailing global geo-political situation," he added referring to the modernisation plans of the Armed Forces.

Antony said the Defence Public Sector Undertakings are today at a threshold, capable of undertaking design and development work as also to come up with product upgrades on their own. 

"Despite these achievements, we must guard against complacency and must ceaselessly work towards more value addition, product support and serviceability of the supplies made to the end-users -- the Services," said Antony.

"It is the collective responsibility of all Defence Public Sector Undertakings to optimise cost-effectiveness and must adhere to time and cost targets," he added.

In the wake of prevailing and developing security environment, army commanders "will also discuss key policy, and doctrinal issues during the three-day Army Commanders'Conference."

Chief of the Army Staff General V K Singh will chair the conference. All Army Commanders and senior officers of the Army will attend the deliberations of the conference, which will continue till May 19. 

The conference will also discuss all aspects of force modernization, including battlefield transparency.  Senior army commanders are expected to discuss several important issues during the three-day deliberations like new operational concepts and evolution of administrative levels in the recent past.