New Delhi, Jul 1 (PTI) The Indian Army is a combat-ready, battle hardened force and the aim is to build a technology-enabled, future-ready army capable of operating in multiple domains, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth said on Wednesday, as he coined the acronym ‘VIJAY’ to achieve that goal.
The letters in the acronym stand for – ‘V’ for vigilance, ‘I’ for innovation, ‘J’ for jointness and integration, ‘A’ for Aatmanirbhrata and ‘Y’ for ‘Yodha first’.
Gen Seth, an accomplished military officer with the rare distinction of heading two operational Army commands along the western front, took charge as the Army chief on Tuesday, succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired on June 30 after an illustrious career spanning over 40 years.
Speaking to reporters after receiving a guard of honour on the lawns of the South Block on Wednesday, Gen Seth said the Indian Army is a combat-ready and battle hardened force, which is “always ready to face all challenges in a battlefield”.
“To assume charge as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) is a moment of pride and humility for me. I accept this responsibility with deep commitment to the ideals of duty, honour and nation first,” he said.
He also offered tribute to the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation.
“Their courage, commitment to duty and selfless dedication will continue to inspire generations to come,” he said.
Gen Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986.
Prior to becoming the 31st COAS, he served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
“To meet the challenges of a changing security environment, we must take forward the modernisation of the army with new vigour and firm determination.
“Our aim is to forge a technology-enabled, future-ready army which is powerful in all forms, and capable of operating in multiple domains,” the general officer asserted.
In keeping with this vision, Gen Seth said he has identified some “focus areas” inspired by the ‘Decade of Transformation’ (2023–2032), a modernisation and restructuring roadmap envisaged by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the Indian Army.
“I have put them together in an acronym – ‘VIJAY’. ‘V’ stands for vigilance, ‘I’ for innovation, ‘J’ for jointness and integration, ‘A’ for Aatmanirbhrata and ‘Y’ for ‘Yodha first’,” Gen Seth said. PTI KND ARI
