Shedding Colonial Practices in Armed Forces | 01 Oct 2024

Source: IE

Why in News?

Recently, the Defence minister released a publication on 'Colonial Practices and the Armed Forces-A Review' which proposes shedding colonial practices and advocated indigenisation in the doctrines, procedures and customs practised in the Armed Forces.

• Earlier, Project Udbhav was launched to synthesise ancient wisdom with contemporary military practices.

What are the Key Changes Proposed to Shed Colonial Vestiges?

• Focus on Indigenous Strategies: Efforts are underway to foster India-centric strategic thinking among young military leaders by incorporating texts from ancient Indian strategists into their courses.
  • Eg. Land campaign studies of Indian Generals such as Marathas or Sikhs and naval exploits of Raja Raja Chola I and his son Rajendra Chola.
  • It could also include the governance model of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.
• Incorporating Indigenous Texts: The Army Training Command has drafted reading material on ancient Indian concepts and doctrines for Army personnel.
  • It includes the ‘Pearls of Ancient Indian Wisdom’ with extracts from the Gita, Panchatantra, Arthashastra, Chanakya Niti and Thirukkural.
• Pan-India Character of Infantry Regiments: The military is exploring ways to give a more pan-India character to the Army’s infantry regiments, enhancing diversity and representation across units.
• Enhanced Use of Indian Cultural Elements: More Indian poetry, prayers, songs will be used in military training institutions replacing colonial era literature, such as “IF by Rudyard Kipling” and the current prayer in English at NDA.
• Drafting a Tri-Service Act: A major structural change being discussed is the replacement of the three individual service Acts with a consolidated tri-service Act to streamline governance across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

What is Project Udbhav?

• About: It aims to integrate India's rich historical military knowledge with modern military practices.
  • It is a joint initiative between the Indian Army and the United Services Institution of India (a think tank).
• Incorporating Ancient Texts and Philosophies:
  • Chanakya's Arthashastra: It emphasises the importance of strategic partnerships, alliances, and diplomacy, aligning with modern military practices like international cooperation and soft power.
  • Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar: It promotes ethical conduct in all situations, including warfare, aligning with modern military ethics like just war principles and the Geneva Convention.
  • Military Campaigns of Ancient Leaders: Indian leaders such as Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, and the Cholas offer valuable insights into governance and military success.
• Prominent Military Campaigns:
  • Naval Battle of Saraighat (1671): Lachit Borphukan's Naval Battle of Saraighat is a prime example of using diplomacy, psychological warfare, military intelligence, and exploiting Mughal weaknesses.
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji and Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Both leaders employed tactics to defeat numerically superior Mughal and Afghan forces which are key lessons in asymmetric warfare and naval defence.
• Indic Studies at Defence Institutions: Academic institutions such as the College of Defence Management (CDM) have conducted studies that link Indian culture with strategic thinking, contributing valuable content to Project Udbhav.