Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan has stated that Agniveers are not just soldiers but also leaders, innovators and defenders of the nation’s sovereignty. He was interacting with the Agniveers undergoing training at Maratha Regimental Centre and Airmen Training School (ATS), Belagavi on 20 May 2024.

Underscoring the noble purpose of military service and its pivotal role within the Military Framework, the CDS at Maratha Regimental Centre lauded Agniveers for choosing the Armed Forces. He stated that it was a testament to their exceptional duty towards the nation.

Acknowledging the personal challenges faced by the soldiers and their families and the hardships they endure while operating in the challenging environments, Gen Anil Chauhan assured that despite the challenges, the Agniveers will find their journey immensely rewarding and their each step, will lead to their personal growth and deep sense of pride in serving the nation. Elaborating the evolving nature of the warfare, the CDS highlighted the complexity and unpredictability of future conflicts to include Cyber Warfare, Artificial Intelligence and Asymmetric Threats which are now an integral part of the battlefield.

He also spoke about technology integration and continuous learning and mentioned that in addition of staying abreast with the latest advancements, there is also a need to showcase innovative approach towards combat. During his visit to ATS, Belagavi, CDS took a tour of the training institute to gain insight into Agniveervayu training of IAF. He interacted with the third batch of Agniveervayu trainees undergoing training as per the revised induction pattern introduced by the MoD in 2022. He exhorted them to focus on training for becoming technologically proficient soldiers, ready to meet the challenges of future warfare.

The CDS further stressed upon the trainees that learning is a lifelong process, especially in an ever evolving and dynamic field of warfare which is tech intensive, entailing a profound sense of responsibility in constant upgradation of skills. He advised the trainees to always nurture the values of integrity, physical fitness, discipline, and esprit-de-corps in their pursuit of professional excellence.

Highlighting the importance of training, the CDS lauded the efforts put in by the training faculty of ATS, and the Maratha Regimental Centre and urged them to keep on striving for excellence towards furtherance of operational might of the nation.