Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reviewed the operational readiness of the defence forces and asked them to be ready to tackle the new and emerging threats faced by the country.

At the Combined Commanders' Conference in Bhopal, the Prime Minister reviewed the security situation and operational readiness of the forces during the valedictory session

"The Prime Minister was briefed by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan about the various discussions conducted during this year's conference," the Defence Ministry said.

"The Prime Minister called upon the three Services to stay ready to deal with these new and emerging threats, emphasising that all steps are being taken to equip the armed forces with necessary weapons and technologies," it added.

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar did not attend the conference as he tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday and returned to Delhi.

During the final day of the conference, various topics including aspects of digitisation, cyber security, challenges of social media, Aatmanirbharta, absorption of Agniveers and jointness were discussed.

In a significant development from the past, the scope of the conference was expanded this year, wherein, a few multi-layered and interactive sessions were conducted with the participation of soldiers from every command of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, including the Tri-Services Andaman and Nicobar Command.

This three-day conference commenced on March 30 with the theme 'Ready, Resurgent, Relevant'.

"During the conference, deliberations over a varied spectrum of issues were held, including on national security and evolving a Joint Military Vision for the future," the ministry said.

On March 31, 2023, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interacted with the top military brass and reviewed the defence preparedness. He lauded the Armed Forces for their valuable contribution to protecting national interests and providing support to the government in realising its vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

This year's conference was special, wherein, inputs from the field units were sought on contemporary issues like changes in TTP and way forward for greater integration among the three Services.

These inputs were deliberated in detail by the Military Commanders. The conference also provided an opportunity for the commanders to review the modernisation of the Armed Forces and the ongoing and concluded military operations, while also discussing ways to improve the country's defence capabilities.