आर्मी चीफ़ Upendra Dwivedi ने 2026 सेमिनार में राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा को आर्थिक विकास से जोड़ा

<p>On <strong>19 May 2026</strong>, <strong>General Upendra Dwivedi</strong>, the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Chief of the Army Staff — The senior-most officer of the Indian Army responsible for operational readiness and strategic direction (GS2: Polity)">Chief of the Army Staff</span> addressed a seminar titled “Security to Prosperity: Smart Power for Sustained National Growth”. The event was held at the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Manekshaw Centre — A premier conference venue in New Delhi named after Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, frequently used for defence and strategic discussions (GS2: Polity)">Manekshaw Centre</span> and organised by the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) — A think‑tank that analyses land warfare, security and strategic affairs (GS2: Polity)">Centre for Land Warfare Studies</span>.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Security is now a <em>precondition</em> for economic prosperity, not a cost to be borne.</li> <li>India must integrate military strength, economic resilience, technology and diplomacy into a single national strategy.</li> <li>Dependence on foreign <span class="key-term" data-definition="critical minerals — Minerals such as rare‑earth elements that are essential for high‑tech and defence applications; their scarcity can affect national security (GS3: Economy)">critical minerals</span> and digital infrastructure is a strategic vulnerability.</li> <li>Building a self‑reliant <span class="key-term" data-definition="defence industrial base — Domestic ecosystem for designing, manufacturing and exporting defence equipment (GS3: Economy)">defence industrial base</span> is crucial for both security and growth.</li> <li>Rapid scaling of emerging technologies like <span class="key-term" data-definition="artificial intelligence — Computer systems that can perform tasks requiring human intelligence; key for modern warfare and economic innovation (GS3: Economy)">artificial intelligence</span>, cyber, quantum, autonomous platforms and advanced materials is required.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>The Army Chief warned that nations lacking domestic production of critical technologies risk losing <span class="key-term" data-definition="strategic autonomy — The ability of a country to make independent strategic choices without external coercion (GS2: Polity, GS3: Economy)">strategic autonomy</span>. He cited recent global conflicts that disrupted trade routes and showed how modern warfare now pressures industrial output, governance and innovation ecosystems.</p> <p>He emphasized the need for <span class="key-term" data-definition="indigenous capability — Domestic capacity to design, develop and manufacture defence equipment, reducing reliance on imports (GS3: Economy)">indigenous capability</span> that is not only self‑sufficient but also globally competitive. Defence manufacturing, he argued, can become a driver of exports, technology transfer and jo