India’s statecraft heritage has enriched outlook in defence domain: Gen Pande

Army chief General Manoj Pande on Tuesday said the Army has explored the epic battles of the Mahabharata, heroic exploits of eminent military figures, and India’s rich heritage in statecraft under project Udbhav to enrich the outlook in the defence domain.

“The project Udbhav launched last year, delved deep into ancient texts such as Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, and Arthashastra, and it has revealed substantial intellectual convergences between eminent Indian and Western scholars,” he said at a conference titled “Historical Patterns in Indian Strategic Culture”.

General Pande said the ancient Indian wisdom is rooted in a 5,000-year civilizational legacy, where immense value is attached to knowledge. He added the legacy is exemplified by a vast repository of intellectual literature, the world’s largest collection of manuscripts, and the nurturing of a multitude of thinkers and schools across domains.

The project Udbhav aims to promote indigenous discourse by integrating India’s ancient strategic acumen into the contemporary military domain with a focus on making the force future ready.

“The project has delved deep into ancient texts such as Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, and Arthashastra, which are rooted in inter-connectedness, righteousness, and ethical values,” General Pande said. “...it has explored the epic battles of the Mahabharata and the strategic brilliance during the reigns of Mauryas, Guptas, and Marathas, which has shaped India’s rich military heritage.”

He added project Udbhav was conceptualised with the idea of rediscovering the profound Indian heritage of statecraft and strategic thoughts, derived from ancient texts of statecraft, warcraft, diplomacy, and grand strategy, and introducing relevant teachings into the present-day military.

General Pande added the project has revealed “substantial intellectual convergences” between Indian and Western scholars, which showed the resonance between their philosophies. He said it has catalysed exploration into new areas for the military through research on India’s tribal traditions, the Maratha naval legacy, and individual heroic exploits of military figures, particularly women.

He said that projects such as Udbhav will remain a continuous endeavour for the Army. General Pande said the vast experiences, sacrifices, and triumphs of battle-hardened Indian armed forces will continue to shape India’s strategic culture.

He said he is confident that the Udbhav compendium will benefit the armed forces to remain progressive and future ready by drawing insights from the nation’s historical military wisdom.

Pande said it is heartening to see that the history and heritage of the armed forces is being celebrated as an integral part of national culture and identity.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh launched project Udhbav last year to promote indigenous discourse in the Army. The project, which seeks to equip officers with the ability to apply ancient wisdom to modern scenarios and enhance their understanding of international relations, was launched in collaboration with United Service Institution, India’s oldest think-tank founded in 1870. This came against the backdrop of the focus on the indigenisation of military customs.