NEW DELHI: The Army’s biannual five-day Commanders’ Conference started on Monday with issues such as neighbourhood security scenario, modernisation and the ongoing restructuring of the force on the agenda. “The agenda points of the Commanders’ Conference will also include the rising security challenges in the neighbourhood in order to calibrate the Army’s response and preparedness. The agenda includes Army’s HR policies, modernisation and reorganisation apart from other policy and administrative issues,” said an Army officer.
Elaborating further, the officer informed that the Army is mulling ways to retain trained human resource for longer period without compromising its operational capability. “One of the plans include enhancing the retirement age of non-combatants from 15 to 17 years,” he added. Soldiers become eligible to leave service after serving for 15 years.
Discussion on the security scenarios will include the issues of drones and also the after-effects of the administrative reorganisation of J&K. “Army’s preparedness and response to the rising use of drones along the western border will be discussed,” the officer said.
“The status of Ladakh as UT will be discussed... like its representation in Unified Headquarters. Also, points related to Kashmir will be taken up to prevent administrative slackness.” Unified Headquarters is an arrangement between the forces and the civilian administration for smoother operational and administrative response in J&K.