NEW DELHI: After taking several steps in line with the government’s directive to shed “vestiges of the colonial era” and “Indianise” military traditions and customs, ranging from junking of western tunes in the Beating Retreat ceremony to the introduction of kurta-pyjamas in naval messes, the armed forces are now poised for some more measures.
The country’s military brass not only discussed theatre commands, modernisation and regional and geopolitical threats during the two-day joint commanders’ conference (JCC), but also apparently dwelt upon the need to create a new legacy in the 14-lakh strong armed forces.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, in fact, released a publication on ‘Colonial Practises and the Armed Forces – A Review’ during the conference in Lucknow, which was attended by chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan, the Army, Navy and IAF chiefs, and the commanders-in-chief of all the 17 single-service and two tri-service commands in the country.
“The publication outlines the methodology and means to create a new legacy in the armed forces based on indigenous customs, traditions, values and thought. It has also highlighted specific leftover vestiges of colonial symbols and traditions which have been discarded and replaced with Indian practices,” a senior officer told TOI.
Citing PM Modi’s enunciation of the ‘Panch Pran (five pledges)’, including ‘Gulami ki Mansikta Se Mukti’ (freedom from slavery mentality), to ensure India becomes a developed country by 2047, the officer said the armed forces are but a microcosm of the larger Indian society.
The soldiers, sailors and airmen carry their societal values, vision and aspirations into the armed forces. “Being the most conservative and traditions based service, the armed forces require a larger and deeper effort to discard the shackles of archaic thinking and emerge free of colonial influences,” he said.
Several serving military officers and veterans, however, feel that such relentless drives, policies and seminars are unnecessarily diverting the attention of the armed forces from the clear and present danger posed by China and its expanding military collusiveness with Pakistan.
The country’s military brass not only discussed theatre commands, modernisation and regional and geopolitical threats during the two-day joint commanders’ conference (JCC), but also apparently dwelt upon the need to create a new legacy in the 14-lakh strong armed forces.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh, in fact, released a publication on ‘Colonial Practises and the Armed Forces – A Review’ during the conference in Lucknow, which was attended by chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan, the Army, Navy and IAF chiefs, and the commanders-in-chief of all the 17 single-service and two tri-service commands in the country.
“The publication outlines the methodology and means to create a new legacy in the armed forces based on indigenous customs, traditions, values and thought. It has also highlighted specific leftover vestiges of colonial symbols and traditions which have been discarded and replaced with Indian practices,” a senior officer told TOI.
Citing PM Modi’s enunciation of the ‘Panch Pran (five pledges)’, including ‘Gulami ki Mansikta Se Mukti’ (freedom from slavery mentality), to ensure India becomes a developed country by 2047, the officer said the armed forces are but a microcosm of the larger Indian society.
The soldiers, sailors and airmen carry their societal values, vision and aspirations into the armed forces. “Being the most conservative and traditions based service, the armed forces require a larger and deeper effort to discard the shackles of archaic thinking and emerge free of colonial influences,” he said.
Several serving military officers and veterans, however, feel that such relentless drives, policies and seminars are unnecessarily diverting the attention of the armed forces from the clear and present danger posed by China and its expanding military collusiveness with Pakistan.