New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday called for deeper integration between the military and civil components of the Defence Ministry, saying greater synergy within the defence ecosystem is essential to address evolving security and technological challenges.
Addressing the 85th Armed Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) Civilian Services Day celebrations in New Delhi, Singh said both uniformed and civil services share the same commitment to “Nation First” and that a common objective can transform every element of the system into national strength.
“As the Defence Forces are marching towards greater jointness with renewed vigour, there is a need to deepen integration between the military and civil components of the Ministry of Defence,” he said.
The Defence Minister underlined that military and administrative integration cannot progress on separate paths, adding that joint and integrated structures require continuity and expertise across policy, administration, human resource management, financial processes, logistics and institutional knowledge.
He stressed the need to further enhance structured cross-exposure between civilian and military officers through joint training programmes and developmental assignments.
“Military officers bring operational experience, a command perspective, and an understanding of warfare, while civilian officers contribute through administrative continuity, policy experience, an understanding of government processes, and institutional memory. When these strengths combine, decision-making becomes more informed, balanced, and effective,” Singh said.
Citing the example of cyber warfare, Singh said officers of the AFHQ Civilian Services could develop defence-specific common cyber tools by leveraging their expertise, which could benefit the Defence Forces.
He also suggested developing a forum to study Indian military history from a civilian perspective to foster fresh ideas and new perspectives.
Calling upon the AFHQ Civilian Services to evolve into the “strategic brain” of India’s defence management architecture, Singh urged the cadre to develop a comprehensive understanding of the defence sector, function effectively in a joint environment and continuously enhance its expertise to address emerging challenges.
“A military derives its strength not merely from weapons and ammunition, but also from the thousands of unseen hands that always stand in their support. AFHQ Civilian Services is one of these unseen yet decisive forces,” he said.
Singh said the cadre must move beyond its specific mandate of implementing service rules, regulations and orders, particularly at a time when modern warfare is driven by rapid technological changes.
He called for greater focus on research, geo-strategic thinking and innovative ideas, stressing that the active participation of AFHQ Civilian Services in core defence matters is essential due to its deep domain knowledge as a permanent cadre of the Ministry of Defence.
During the celebrations, Singh launched several digital initiatives of the office of Joint Secretary and Chief Administrative Officer (JS & CAO) and its revised Vision and Mission Statement.
The initiatives include the Internet-Based Accommodation Management System (IBAMS) portal, integration of eHRMS with TULIP 2.0 for processing claims, integration of the CAO’s Office with TULIP 2.0 for processing pay and allowances, and onboarding on the Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW) portal.
The Defence Minister also released the 34th issue of the ‘Samvad’ magazine, featuring travelogues, essays, articles and poems written by employees posted at Service Headquarters and Inter-Service Organisations.
He also presented awards to AFHQ personnel for achievements in various fields, including sports, and to children of employees who excelled academically.
Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and other senior officials were present at the event.
AFHQ Day is observed on August 1 every year to recognise the contribution of personnel who work alongside Service personnel at the three Integrated Service Headquarters, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and 24 Inter-Service Organisations under the Ministry of Defence. (ANI)
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