National, regional security to top agenda at Integrated Defence Staff programme from tomorrow

New Delhi: Top military leaders will discuss emerging challenges in national and regional security at a five-day event planned by Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) Headquarters from Monday, a Defence Ministry official said.

The ‘Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE)’ programme from September 14 to 18 at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi for senior officers of the Defence Forces aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of emerging challenges, the official said in a statement.

The programme, organised by the apex-level tri-service organisation which is responsible for the higher management and integration of the Indian Armed Forces, will enable participants to take balanced and well-informed decisions in their future leadership roles, it said.

Officers from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs will also participate in the programme, the statement said.

The CORE programme aims to provide senior leaders with exposure to contemporary national and regional security issues through interactions with distinguished subject matter experts and renowned speakers from diverse fields, it added.

The programme will facilitate a deeper understanding of emerging challenges and enable participants to take balanced and well-informed decisions in their future leadership roles.

The five-day programme will cover a wide spectrum of themes, including emerging regional and global security challenges, technological transformation in warfare, strategic communication, and the need for enhanced civil-military understanding in addressing complex issues.

The programme reflects the commitment of Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters towards strengthening professional competencies, fostering jointness and integrated thinking, and preparing senior leadership to effectively address the dynamic and evolving challenges of national security, the statement said.

Earlier on Friday, as part of professional military education, Major General Sanjeev Dogra (Retd) shared insights on the US–Israel–Iran conflict with mid-level and senior directional officers from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard during the Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC).

The HDMC-22, which outlined the flagship leadership curriculum, was hosted by the College of Defence Management (CDM) in Telangana’s Secunderabad, a statement said.

In a statement on social media, the IDS Headquarters said, “Major General Sanjeev Dogra (Retd) addressed #HDMC-22 at #CDM_IDS on the US–Israel–Iran conflict through a three-person #GameTheory lens. He showed how the presence of a third player changes incentives, alliance choices and the stability of deterrence.”

“Using simple analytical models, he (Major General Sanjeev Dogra (retired)) said that when countries may choose to cooperate, hold back or confront and why clear signals and firm commitments are vital to control escalation,” it said on social media platform X.

“In multi-player situations, strategic clarity comes from designing choices and understanding payoffs. An immense value addition to #ProfessionalMilitaryEducation,” the statement added.

IANS