Pune: CDS Anil Chauhan Calls JAI Se Vijay a Strategic Blueprint for India’s Military Future
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 13th February 2026: The Southern Command of the Indian Army has convened a two-day professional seminar titled ‘JAI Se Vijay (JAI to Victory)’, aimed at aligning India’s defence transformation with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The seminar underscores the critical link between national security and national development, asserting that India’s aspirations for economic growth, technological leadership, and social stability depend on capable, credible, and future-ready Armed Forces.
Set against a rapidly evolving global security landscape marked by hybrid warfare, cyber threats, information dominance, and disruptive technologies, the seminar focuses on the Prime Minister’s guiding mantra of JAI — Jointness, Aatmanirbharta, and Innovation.
Addressing the gathering, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, observed that global security is under significant strain, with conflicts in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific reshaping military doctrines and force employment.
He emphasized that future conflicts will span land, air, sea, cyber, and cognitive domains simultaneously. “Advantage accrues to forces that can sense faster, decide earlier, and act decisively across domains,” he said, highlighting the need for integration, resilience, and adaptability.
Citing Operation Sindoor as an example of intelligence-driven, multi-domain force application, Lt Gen Seth stressed the importance of seamless joint execution. He also referred to Exercise Trishul, which validated integrated operations across services and domains, demonstrating unity of purpose at the highest levels of command.
The seminar highlighted India’s growing defence industrial base under the Aatmanirbharta initiative. Defence production reached ₹1.54 lakh crore in the last financial year, while exports crossed ₹23,000 crore, with significant contributions from the private sector. India now exports defence equipment to more than 80 countries.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan described “JAI Se Vijay” as a strategic framework rather than a slogan. Beginning his address with “Jai Hind,” he noted that the phrase represents purpose-driven action leading to victory.
He identified major global trends shaping India’s defence environment, including economic weaponisation, technological disruption, erosion of established norms, the rise of proxy conflicts, and the growing significance of cognitive and information warfare.
“Victory is not declared through rhetoric but demonstrated through capability,” he stated, emphasizing that Jointness must become a mindset, Aatmanirbharta must ensure strategic autonomy, and Innovation must permeate doctrine, training, and organizational culture.
The seminar aims to generate actionable recommendations to build an integrated, agile, and technologically advanced force capable of safeguarding India’s interests across domains by 2047 and beyond.
As Lt Gen Seth concluded, “If JAI is the method, Vijay is the outcome. Without JAI, there is no Vijay.”
