Defense journalist Nitin Gokhale calls for accelerated defense reforms

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

India must accelerate defense reforms, strengthen coordination among the three services and prepare a long-term military vision for 2047, defense journalist and BharatShakti Group Founder and Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale said during a guest lecture at the Kautilya School of Public Policy (KSPP) on Friday.

Speaking on “Preparing for the Wars of Tomorrow: From Three Services to One Fighting Force”, Gokhale traced the evolution of India’s higher defence organization, from its three-tier structure and the establishment of the National Security Guard (NSG) to subsequent institutional reforms.

He highlighted the recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on August 15, 2019, of the decision to create the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The appointment of India’s first CDS on January 1, 2020, and the establishment of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) marked important milestones, he noted. The session concluded with an interactive discussion with aspiring policy professionals. KSPP Dean and former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Syed Akbaruddin, attended the lecture.