The Indian Army, with a strength of 12 lakhs, is embarking on a journey to tap into the rich reservoir of ancient wisdom in statecraft, strategy and diplomacy coupled with warfare to prepare itself for the wars and battles of the future.
This endeavour, known as Project Udbhav, represents an initiative of the Indian Army to rediscover India’s heritage of statecraft and strategic thought drawn from ancient texts.
What is Project Udbhav?
In collaboration with the USI (United Service Institution of India), the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) conducted its inaugural hybrid seminar under this project titled “Evolution of Indian Military Systems, war-fighting and Strategic Thought Current Research in the Field and Way Forward.”
While the project has garnered support and interest, some veterans have raised questions about the applicability of deep-rooted Indian strategic concepts in the context of modern and future conflicts. Nonetheless, the Indian Army remains optimistic about Project Udbhav, emphasising its mission to bridge the historical and contemporary, delving into India’s rich historical narratives in statecraft and strategic thinking.
This initiative aligns with the government’s directive to modernise and shed the vestiges of the colonial era in the Indian armed forces. The Project Udbhav takes a comprehensive approach, encompassing indigenous military systems, historical texts, regional texts and kingdoms along with thematic studies and focus on the work of ancient strategies such as Kautilya (Chanakya, the advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya).
Aim of the Project
The main aim here is not only to re-discover these narratives but also to develop an indigenous strategic vocabulary deeply rooted in Indian diverse philosophical and cultural heritage that can be integrated into modern military education.
Project Udbhav began in the year 2021 and has already yielded a book listing seventy-five aphorisms selected from ancient texts offering valuable insights into India’s Strategic heritage. The recent seminar gathered scholars, serving officers and veterans to study ancient texts from the 4th Century BC to the 8th Century BC, with special focus and attention to figures like Kautilya, Kamandaka and the Kural.
The session was chaired by Lt General Vinod Khandare (retired), principal adviser in the defence ministry and featured a keynote address by Lt General Raju Baijal, the Army’s director general of strategic planning. The Project Udbhav will be continued with a series of engagements, including the Indian Military Heritage Festival scheduled for October 21-22, 2023.
The overarching goal of the Army is to equip its officers with the ability to apply ancient wisdom to modern scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of international relations and foreign cultures in the process.
‘Indianisation’ of Armed Forces
The Indian government has dictated the Indianisation of All Indian Armed Forces, in accordance with which the army said last year that it would identify colonial and pre-colonial era customs and names for removal. Earlier this year, the Indian Navy decided to stop its practice of naval officers carrying batons, saying that it had a colonial legacy.
“The Symbolism of power or the authority portrayed through holding the baton is a colonial legacy that is out of place in a transformed navy out of the Amrit Kaal, the Indian Navy has sent this in a letter to all units, according to a media agency. Last year, it announced a new naval ensign that discarded the Cross of Saint George
Till now, the identity of slavery remained on the flag of the Indian Navy. But from today onwards, inspired by the founder of the Indian Navy, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the new flag will fly in the sea and the sky, PM Modi said while the new designs unveiling.
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