Welfare Measures, Induction of Niche Tech & More: Key Decisions at Army Commanders' Conference

The latest edition of the Army Commanders’ Conference was organised for the first time in a hybrid model from 17-21 April 2023. The conference saw deliberations over issues like training, human resource Development, and administrative aspects and some key decisions were taken regarding the welfare of the troops.

For the welfare of soldiers and specially-abled children of those soldiers who die in harnesses, it was decided to double the sustenance allowance to such children through Army Group Insurance Fund (AGIF). In another significant step, it was decided to identify and train selected soldiers for Paralympic Events by training them at Army Sports and Mission Olympic Nodes in nine sporting events.

The Army Commanders also reviewed the operational preparedness and readiness of the Indian Army. The conference also saw deliberations on training initiatives to optimise infrastructure, time and resources to maintain an effective and lethal fighting force. In the Technical Entry Scheme (TES) scheme for the entry of officers, it was decided to transit from the existing 1+3+1 years TES model to the 3 + 1 TES model from January 2024.

Further, to enhance the capabilities of the troops by absorption of niche technologies and equipment, it was decided to nominate Lead Directorates and ‘Test Bed’ Formations to evolve optimal employment philosophies and scaling to facilitate better exploitation pan Army, according to a press release by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The forum also decided to operationalise Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSW) in the immediate future in order to safeguard the networks responsible for modern communication systems.

The ongoing construction of Thal Sena Bhawan at Delhi Cantt which commenced in March 2023, was also discussed in the conference. The Thal Sena Bhawan, once completed in 2025 will remedy the shortage of office spaces and enhance the operational and functional efficiency of the Army Head Quarters by bringing all the directorates under one roof.

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