New Delhi [India], January 23 : Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday said that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's approach of assertive diplomacy and strategic realism continues to hold deep relevance for India as it navigates a "polycentric, unstable and uncertain global disorder."
Addressing students and faculty at Jawaharlal Nehru University on the occasion of Netaji's birth anniversary, Gen Chahuhan highlighted Bose's multidimensional leadership, underlining the close linkage between his political vision, diplomacy, and military operations.
"Even today, as India navigates this polycentric, unstable, and uncertain global disorder, Netaji's policy of assertive diplomacy and strategic realism is more relevant than ever," the CDS said. He noted that Bose not only created a government-in-exile and built the Indian National Army (INA), but also planned military campaigns, negotiated alliances and managed logistics, reflecting an integrated approach to leadership.
CDS Gen Chauhan described Netaji as a military leader in the truest sense. "He was classically a military leader, not because he wore a uniform. I think he was a military leader because he led by personal example," he said, adding that the full impact of the INA's contribution to India's freedom struggle is yet to be fully recognised.
The CDS also drew parallels between Netaji's vision and contemporary policy thinking, pointing out that an industrial programme for arms production was initiated as early as 1944. "Something like 'aatmanirbharta' was thought about in 1944," he said, referring to Netaji's emphasis on self-reliance in defence.
Citing a "classic example of strategic foresight," Gen Chauhan recalled how Netaji negotiated with Japan to secure the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, calling them the first sovereign Indian territory, and renamed them 'Shaheed Dweep' and 'Swaraj Dweep'.
Speaking on military preparedness, the CDS said it involves the "ability of armed forces" to anticipate threats and respond effectively through operations, backed by continuous analysis of the evolving global and regional security environment and lessons drawn from history.
The CDS said, " When you talk about military preparedness, it is the ability of armed forces to anticipate threats and respond to them by conducting military operations. It will involve analysis of the emerging security environment, global and regional, including lessons from history."
Expanding on the concept of national defence, Gen Chauhan said defending a nation goes "far beyond battlefield operations".
"When you talk about defending a state, it relates to building capacities and capabilities for a state to defend itself," he said.
He added that defence manufacturing, innovation and research and development form the backbone of national security and are being actively promoted through the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and Make in India initiatives. "These are essential to how you defend your nation," the CDS said.
Gen Chauhan also stressed the importance of developing strategic infrastructure in border areas through agencies such as the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), noting that it is a crucial element of defence preparedness. "It also involves actually developing a strategic culture in the nation," he added.