Jaipur, April 2 The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Command, Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh, highlighted the importance of strategic autonomy in an era marked by geopolitical volatility and complex security challenges, on Thursday.
He was speaking at the sixth edition of the General K Sundarji Memorial Lecture, organized by the Mechanised Infantry Centre and School in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies.
"In the context of a rapidly evolving global order characterized by intensifying competition between major powers, geo-economic fragmentation, technological competition, and regional conflicts, strategic autonomy is no longer merely a diplomatic aspiration but a practical necessity for nations to safeguard their sovereignty, economy, security, and long-term interests," he said.
The seminar discussed the theme "Challenges of Pursuing Strategic Autonomy in an Increasingly Fractious World".
Former diplomat Pankaj Saran and former vice-admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh also attended the event.
"Key discussions focused on recalibrating India's foreign policy in a multi-polar world; the impact of emerging technologies and geo-economic competition on national security; strengthening defence preparedness, jointness, and indigenisation; maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, and balancing economic integration with national resilience," a defence spokesperson said.
Discussions were also held on emerging geopolitical developments, including the implications of recent conflicts for India's strategic calculus.
