The Chief must aim at making the army a powerful organisation in all respects; alleviating the concerns of all personnel of the army and veterans; and bringing the fun back into the army, keeping in mind the old adage ‘a happy army is a powerful army’Assumption of command by a new Army Chief is an important event, both for the army and the nation. It is no different for General V.K. Singh, the 24th Army Chief of independent India. The importance of commanding the Indian Army is not just because of its size, but more importantly it is the only organisation that has full faith in our polity, on account of its professional ethos and the alacrity with which it responds to evolving situations. These perceptions, coupled with the prevailing security environment, bring with them overwhelming responsibilities. All Army Chiefs have no doubt assumed command with varying challenges and distinguished themselves during their tenures. Some have done so with panache, while others could at best be termed as also-ran.
Situation
The ground reality is not encouraging. Nearly half the army is committed to fighting various insurgencies and a proxy war. The combat potential of the army is at an all-time low of nearly 50 per cent and there has hardly been any modernisation in recent years. The budget for the army gets reduced every year in real term; the government continues to keep the military out of the policy formulation loop; the deteriorating civil-military relations do not bode well for the safety and security of the nation; there have been several recent incidents that have tarnished the image of the army and could have been avoided; and the regional security environment is also a cause of concern.
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Challenging Times Ahead By Lt General (Retd) Vijay Oberoi
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