New Delhi (The Hawk): The Indian Army and the United States Army will co-host 13th IPACC, 47th IPAMS and 9th SELF, a three-day conference of Chiefs of Armies and delegates of 35 countries in New Delhi from 25th to 27th September 2023.
The central theme for this forum is “Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.” The conference will provide an opportunity for Army Chiefs and senior-level leaders from land forces, primarily of the Indo-Pacific region, to exchange ideas and views on security and contemporary issues. The core effort of the forum will be to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue and friendship amongst the littoral partners.
This event will be organised in Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt and will see over 150 delegates participate in various plenary and round-table sessions. A joint press conference will be held at 9 a.m. with General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff, Indian Army and General Randy George, Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. This will be followed by an opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on 26th September 2023, at the Manekshaw Centre. Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon’ble Raksha Mantri and General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff will attend the opening ceremony.
The conference will feature plenary sessions and informal meetings in three tiers. The Army Chiefs conference will discuss issues of mutual interest and areas of cooperation to synergise efforts of all stakeholders for effecting peace and stability in the region. The IPAMS is a military seminar for Army Officers between the ranks of Lieutenant Colonel to Major General to exchange views on regional security issues and best practices. The SELF will involve the participation of tactical level sub unit commanders to hold open dialogue, share lessons learned and provide understanding about Armies participating in the forum.
The attendees will hear from distinguished guest speakers and participate in lively discussions on topics, such as peacekeeping operations, humanitarian assistance/ disaster relief, leadership development and empowering women. The delegates will also visit the National War Memorial and pay homage to our fallen heroes. The event will also showcase Atmanirbhar Bharat Equipment Display. The participants will get a glimpse of India’s rich cultural diversity by visiting some heritage sites in the capital. They will also be witnessing various initiatives undertaken by the Army Wives Welfare Association.
During the Curtain Raiser event conducted today in Manekshaw Centre, Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar, Vice Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army briefed the media about the framework of the event. He highlighted that Indian Army has made significant contribution in promoting peace and stability in the Indo- Pacific region. He also emphasised that Indian Army remains committed for humanitarian endeavours and relief efforts in the region. During the Curtain Raiser event, Foreign Service Attaches of the United States of America, France, Japan, Maldives and Singapore participated in a round table discussion conducted on the topic “Collaborative Approach in Combating Non-Traditional Security Threats in Indo-Pacific.”
The conference will emerge as a testimony to the shared resolve of participating countries and facilitate fruitful discussions. This will allow the partnerships between the participating countries to be further enduring by exchanging views and sharing best practices.