On 21st October 2023, Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence(MoD), inaugurated the first edition of Indian Military Heritage Festival (2023) at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The festival, organized by the United Service Institution of India (USI) – Centre for Military History & Conflict Studies (CMHCS), was held from 21st to 22nd October 2023.
- The 2-day festival celebrated the rich military culture and heritage of India through conversations, art, dance, drama, story-telling and exhibitions.
- The festival focused on India’s rich military heritage and traditions; Security & Strategy; and Atmanirbhar Bharat, in the defence and military domains.
Note: The Indian Military Heritage Festival was launched as a key annual event during India’s G-20 presidency in 2022-2023.
Highlights:
i.During the festival, a MILFEST was organized for military ecosystem as a platform for discussing a contemporary issues relating to India and the world focusing on Security, Strategy and International Relations.
ii.On the other hand, USI Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative (ANBI) provided a platform to designers, developers, manufacturers and security forces to share ideas for indigenization and self-reliance in defence technology.
Key Points:
i.The event brought together wide range of participants, encompassing Indian and international corporations, public sector enterprises, non-profit groups, think tanks, and wealthy individuals, encouraging the exchange of ideas and discussions.
ii.It featured military band performances, a Cultural Gala Evening, and an exhibition showcasing key milestones in India’s military history.
- The exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Heritage, Ministry of Culture,
MoD Rajnath Singh launches Army’s Project Udbhav
During the festival, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Project Udbhav to promote the indigenous discourse through the integration of ancient strategic acumen into the military domain.
- Project Udbhav is a joint collaboration of Indian Army (IA) and USI.
- The initiative aims to integrate age-old wisdom with contemporary military pedagogy
Note: The term Udbhav translates to Origin or Genesis, which embodies the Indian Army’s efforts to revisit the roots of India’s military thoughts.
Key Points:
i.This project is on the lines of efforts by the Central government to encourage “Indianization” in areas including education, health and science.
ii.It envisgaes to learn statecraft, strategy, diplomacy, and warfare from ancient Indian texts like Chanakya’s Arthashastra, Kamandaka’s Nitisara, and Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural.
iii.It will also highlight prominent military campaigns and leaders like empires of Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Cholas, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
iv.It aims to be the hub for India’s strategic advancements.
v.The project signals a series of in-depth research, discussions, studies, and engagements to delve into and disseminate the rich, varied and often under-explored treasures of India’s strategic thought and military history.
Key Participants:
Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) Lt Gen JP Mathew and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh were among the dignitaries present at the event.
Recent Related News:
i.On 7th July 2023, Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Defence, launched the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Integrated Software (NIS), a single window interactive software for Cadets, in New Delhi, Delhi.
ii.On 26th July 2023, the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a Mini Ratna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU), under the Ministry of Defence(MoD), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the BITS Goa Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Society (BGIIES, Goa) to drive innovation and progress in the shipbuilding and defence industry using cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.
About United Service Institution of India (USI):
USI is the oldest tri-service think tank of India working since 1870, and dedicated to national security and defense services.
Director General– Major General BK Sharma
Headquarter– New Delhi, Delhi
