President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Forces Ready Tech Warfare Defence forces Defence Services Staff College Wellington DSSC Armed Forces DSSC Library Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

Kalam tells Forces to be Ready for Tech-Warfare

Kalam tells Forces to be Ready for Tech-Warfare

Coonoor: President Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam today urged the Defence forces to prepare the young officers to face a virtual-based simulated warfare that would characterize the future combating scenario.

“Future soldier will be a knowledge worker in the battlefield. So the young officer should train themselves to be tech-savvy, network-centre and electronic adaptable to face the future encounters. There should be a synergized team work for the use of land, water and air for which you should be physiologically and psychologically. I am sure with this adaptability, you will make the Indian armed force the most powerful and the best in the future as well”, he told the defence officers at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

Speaking on ‘Our Mission – Defence of the Nation’, Dr. Kalam urged the officer to study history to understand what would be the cause and the course of the future warfare.

“In the 3,000 years of India history, the country had enjoyed total freedom for only 351 years. Right from the period of Alexander the great, several countries had invaded India, but never ever did India invade any country. We should think seriously to find out why, to re-engineer our concept and philosophy relating to future warfare” he said.

Turning to his favourite thought of making India super power by 2020, Dr. Kalam wanted the armed forces to realize the they had an important role to play in this endeavour.

“You have the responsibility to usher in economic prosperity through building up the security of the nation. These two are important components. World War I was fought because of ideological differences, Afghan war came not because of political ambitions, Iraq war broke out for oil, but the future warfare will be for the shortage warfare will be for the shortage of materials – water fossil, oil, gas, gold, energy, uranium, thorium etc. As we keep on digging these materials, they are vanishing and the war would break out for them”, he stressed.

He said the future warfare will have a few dynamics – conventional to nuclear; terrorism, conventional to nuclear; (c) terrorism to nuclear. “But I foresee the future war for a single objective that is economically forward and necessity – driven”, he said.

While biological, nuclear and chemical warfare’s caused several deaths, even the low intensity conflicts claimed several lives every day.

“That is why we have signed the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty. We will not be the first users of nuclear war power, and if we use it, will be for the defence of the nation. We will also bring down the nuclear resource to zero level if other nations do so”, the President declared.

The future war will be technology-driven and based on market forces.

“We need to integrate technological advancements relating to media, communication and satellite to build the future defence system for the country”, he said. Relating his experiences with the defence forces, he said that on April 2, 2004, he went to Siachin, the country’s highest snow-covered peak of 17,000 feet above sea level when the temperature had dipped to minus 35 Degree Celsius.

“There I saw out soldiers and three of them - - Naik from Karnataka, Williams form UP – shook hands with me. I felt Agni’s warmth even in that cold atmosphere. I realized that the nation was safe with the Army”, he said

On another occasion, he went 30 metres below the sea level to a submarine war ship where 90 officers and men worked day and night to keep vigil. “When I came to the land, I realized that the country with the Navy”, he said. On June 8 2006, he was taken on a flight in supersonic war plane.

“I saw how a flying object could be shot from the land and an object on the land could be attacked form the plane. I felt the nation was safe with the Air Force”, he said.

Lt Gen B J Gupta, VSM, DSSC Commandant, said as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Dr Kalam had encouraged the officers with his vision and foresight. He has become a role model for every one, he said.

Dr. Kalam presented a set of books to Lt. Gen Gupta for use in the DSSC library. He also answered some questions from the student officers.

Tamil Nadu Governor, S.S Barnala, was also in the dais.

Officers get a taste of Kalam’s humour

Coonoor: Defence officers had a taste of Dr. Kalam’s casualness and humour at the Defence Service Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, today. When he boarded the dais, he waved to the officers affectionately, but not one waved back!

Before addressing them, he asked them if they all could hear him; no reply, however!

When he related his experience with Siachen, submarine and supersonic war plane, he asked them to raise hands if they had similar experience. Seeing a few hands going up, he said, “I am happy you are with me”.

He brought out laughter in them when he said that he enjoyed vegetarian meal in the submarine 30 metres below the sea level. He said he had a lesson the previous day before he had a ride on the supersonic war plane.

“The Wing Commander was a good teacher!”, he quipped. When a lady officer wanted to know India could become super power in 2020 given the reality that the economy is growing around 5 per cent and the inflation rising over 6 per cent, Dr. Kalam said, “I answered this question yesterday in parliament and my friends were there!”.

On sharing of water, he quipped, they are doing politics!

He mixed freely with the ladies and the children from the officers’ families outside the auditorium in the lawn.

He chased off a security person to get closer to children.

Kalam tells Forces to be Ready for Tech-Warfare

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