NE DEFENCE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, NOV 17
The Indian Army, in partnership with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), today hosted a high-profile Curtain Raiser for the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 (CDD-2025) at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. The Dialogue, scheduled for 27–28 November 2025, will deliberate extensively on the theme “Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat.”
Curtain raiser of Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 held in New Delhi
CDD-2025 will bring together national and international experts to deliberate on defence reforms, technological transformation, civil–military integration and India’s emerging security priorities in the run-up to… pic.twitter.com/3Ba1IQLP5m
— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 17, 2025
The event opened with welcome remarks and the release of the official CDD-2025 teaser, setting the tone for a series of strategic deliberations aimed at shaping India’s defence and security transformation agenda.
- CDD-2025 to convene global and national experts on “Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat” on Nov 27–28
- COAS Gen. Upendra Dwivedi underscores inseparable link between national security and national development
- Rajiv Chandrasekhar calls for trusted indigenous tech ecosystems as India’s strategic backbone
- Panel stresses Atmanirbharta, deep-tech innovation and resilient supply chains as the key to defence transformation
COAS: “Security and development must advance together”
A Fireside Chat with Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi headlined the programme. Drawing a clear connection between national security and India’s developmental aspirations, the COAS said:
“A secure nation is the foundation of a developed nation. The journey toward Viksit Bharat @2047 demands long-term stability and a cohesive national-security architecture.”
Referring to the Ministry of Defence’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, he stressed that modernisation, capability enhancement and structural reforms are central to India’s strategic transformation.
Speaking on Operation SINDOOR, General Dwivedi stated: “Blood and water cannot flow together. Accountability is non-negotiable for those abetting terrorism. Operation SINDOOR reflects India’s unwavering determination to safeguard its national interests and ensure regional stability.”
Technology is now strategy: Rajiv Chandrasekhar
Delivering the Special Address, Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Former Minister of State for Electronics & IT and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, emphasised the criticality of indigenous technology ecosystems for national security.
“In the era of AI, cyber warfare and emerging tech disruptions, trusted, indigenous digital capabilities are core to India’s strategic autonomy. National security today is as much about technology as it is about defence forces.”
He highlighted the need to accelerate India’s digital sovereignty through resilient supply chains, domestic innovation and ecosystem trust.
Panel discussion highlights Atmanirbharta as strategic imperative
A vibrant panel discussion on “Atmanirbharta in Defence: Key to Sashakt Bharat”, chaired by Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance), brought together experts from DRDO, defence industries and academia.
The panel underscored several priorities:
- Indigenous design, development and innovation as the backbone of strategic autonomy
- Strengthening dual-use technologies to support both civilian and military needs
- Seamless integration between DRDO, private industry and academic institutions
- Procurement reforms to accelerate adoption of cutting-edge solutions
- Empowering MSMEs and Defence Industrial Corridors to build globally competitive clusters
- Building resilient, secure and diversified supply chains to reduce external dependencies
- Rapid growth of India’s deep-tech ecosystem to meet future battlefield demands
India prepares for a landmark defence dialogue
CDD-2025 will gather leading national and international experts to debate defence modernisation, technological transformation, civil–military fusion and India’s evolving security priorities in the context of Viksit Bharat @2047.
As a run-up to the Dialogue, the Indian Army earlier hosted the Young Leaders Forum on 31 October 2025 to enhance strategic awareness among the youth and create an informed next generation of security thinkers.
