The Southern Command, which celebrates its a hundred and thirtieth Elevating Day on April 1, is the oldest and the most important command of the Indian Army, overlaying 41 per cent India’s landmass unfold over 11 states and 4 Union Territories. In an interview to PTI, Lt Gen Singh, the thirty eighth GOC-In-C of the Southern Command, additionally spoke concerning the Command’s dedication to leverage know-how as a catalyst for transformative change through the 12 months 2024, being noticed by the military because the Yr of Expertise Absorption.
“This theme underscores our dedication to leverage know-how as a catalyst for transformative change, in addition to to make use of in-house experience to innovate options to our operational and logistic necessities and provides form to those initiatives in collaboration with home defence trade,” Lt Gen Singh mentioned.
“The Southern Command has made a major contribution in India’s focus of being self-sufficient in defence manufacturing. Being geographically co-located with the trade hubs of the nation and having numerous Area Firing Ranges (FFRs), the Southern Command acts as a take a look at mattress for trials of assorted weapon platforms, vital defence tools and complex ammunition,” he mentioned.
Seven improvements fielded by Southern Command have been chosen for pan-army implementation together with switch of know-how to industrial companions for manufacturing, he mentioned. As a part of common outreach to trade and academia, state sensible seminars-cum-exhibitions are repeatedly carried out,” he mentioned, including the the occasions are carried out at Pune in February and Could and 150 industries take part in them.
Related occasions are carried out at Chennai and Hyderabad and are additionally being deliberate in Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, Lt Gen Singh mentioned. The third listing that includes particulars of greater than 650 industries was launched in January this 12 months, to strengthen the Atmanirbhar Bharat-enhancing outreach and collaboration with industrial stakeholders. Maharashtra had its first Defence Expo of all MSMEs with an goal to reinforce the state MSME ecosystem and place it because the hub of indigenous defence manufacturing beneath the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, he mentioned. “Southern Command displayed indigenous tools and techniques equivalent to T-90 tank, BMP Mk-II amphibious infantry combating car, Soltam and Dhanush towed howitzers, Ok-9 Vajra artillery gun and Pinaka a number of rocket launcher developed by the Defence Analysis and Growth Organisation for the military,” he mentioned. All three service chiefs visited the exhibition, which highlighted the military’s resolve to advertise innovation and initiatives beneath Aatmnirbhar Bharat, he mentioned.
The Southern Command covers most of peninsular India. Operational instructions of the Indian Navy and IAF are located throughout the Command space, together with Frontier HQs of BSF and Coast Guard. This provides the Command a novel alternative and added dimension to conduct tri-services operations or multi company operations, he mentioned.
“Joint built-in operations with a number of domains method is the way in which forward, and to enhance the mixing, and synergy between the three providers, the Southern Command just lately carried out two main joint workout routines, Train Bharat Shakti and Train TriShakti Prahar. Train Bharat Shakti was witnessed by PM Narendra Modi,” he mentioned.
The workout routines, involving all of the three providers, demonstrated the prowess of indigenously manufactured weapons and tools of Indian armed forces and validated tri-service software on the western entrance in multi area surroundings, he mentioned.
“As a part of the military’s transformation and operational effectiveness, the primary medium elevate assault helicopter squadron within the Southern Command area was raised on March 15 this 12 months. The squadron will probably be geared up with state-of-the-art Apache AH 64E helicopters from Boeing. “Six contracted helicopters will probably be delivered within the nation in two phases within the coming months,” he mentioned.
“The Induction of Apache helicopters will improve the military’s operational attain and aerial strike capabilities within the western sector. These helicopters are able to enterprise missions in all climate and terrain circumstances alongside our borders,” Lt Gen Singh mentioned. The highest military commander additionally spoke about Southern Command offering an “wonderful alternative” for joint coaching with pleasant international nations.
“The Indian Military is presently engaged with over 100 nations and this contains bilateral joint workout routines with over 25 nations, coaching of over 3,000 navy personnel of 70 nations and manning of 16 coaching groups worldwide,” he mentioned.
Accordingly, a number of joint workout routines are carried out repeatedly with pleasant international nations like France, USA, Russia, Maldives, UAE, Japan, UK, Singapore, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Seychelles and another African nations, he mentioned. Southern Command is the hub of navy diplomacy due to these quite a few international workout routines taking place around the 12 months, he mentioned. Southern Command was raised on April, 1895 and has continued to be stationed in Pune since its existence.
The Command has efficiently participated in varied pre and post-Independence operations. Southern command performed an necessary position within the merger with the Indian Union of Junagarh and Hyderabad shortly after Independence and in addition in liberation of Goa and Diu in 1961.
The Command was additionally concerned in help to neighbouring nations, like thwarting a coup try in Maldives throughout 1988 and Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987. Operation Pawan was the code identify assigned to the operation by the Indian Peace Maintaining Power to take management of Jaffna, the capital metropolis of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka, from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Southern Command guards 1,200 km of India’s worldwide border and seven,000 km of shoreline.
