Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth on Wednesday outlined his five priorities for the force, encapsulated in the acronym 'VIJAY', emphasising modernisation, self-reliance, and a technology-enabled future-ready posture. The announcement came a day after he assumed charge as the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS).
VIJAY Acronym Explained
General Seth explained that 'VIJAY' stands for Vigilance, Innovation and Transformation, Jointness and Integration, Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), and Yodha (warrior). These priorities cover the entire spectrum of tasks he has set for the Army, he said during a ceremony at the South Block in New Delhi, where he inspected a guard of honour and saluted his father, retired Lieutenant General KM Seth, who was present.
Vigilance and Operational Readiness
Under 'Vigilance', the Army Chief stressed maintaining constant watch along borders and against emerging threats, ensuring a high level of operational readiness to respond effectively to any challenge to national security.
Innovation and Transformation
For 'Innovation and Transformation', General Seth said the focus will be on innovation in both doctrine and technological solutions. Innovation will remain integral to thinking, systems, and capability development, while necessary transformations will be undertaken in line with the changing character of warfare.
Jointness and Integration
The letter 'J' stands for 'Jointness and Integration', which aims to enhance operational effectiveness through synergy and coordination with the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. General Seth noted that national security is not limited to military strength alone but requires military-civil fusion, contributing to nation-building and the goal of a developed India by 2047.
Atmanirbharta: Self-Reliance
The letter 'A' represents 'Atmanirbharta', emphasising indigenous capabilities and technologies. The Army must build a self-reliant force with the aim of winning wars with indigenous solutions, he added.
Yodha: The Soldier
The final letter 'Y' stands for 'Yodha', referring to every soldier from the Agniveer to the senior-most veteran. General Seth said enhancing the technological threshold and training standards of soldiers will remain a foremost priority, and veterans are an integral part of the Army family whose welfare, empowerment, and professional growth will remain important.
Modernisation and Future Readiness
Calling the Indian Army a combat-ready and battle-hardened force, General Seth said it is fully prepared to meet every challenge in the operational domain. He stressed that to respond to the evolving security environment, modernisation must be pushed with renewed energy and firm resolve, aiming to build a technology-enabled, future-ready force capable of operating across multiple domains.
General Seth expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for reposing trust in him and entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the Indian Army.
