From Long-Range Firepower To China's Illegal Construction Of Artificial Islands, Here Are Key Takeaways From Indo-Pacific Army Chief Conclave Held In New Delhi

India and the United States jointly hosted the 13th edition of the Indo-Pacific Army Chief Conclave (IPACC) in New Delhi from September 25 to 27.

Army chiefs from more than 20 countries, including US Army Chief Randy George, Australian Army Chief Gen Simon Stuart, Japanese Army Chief Gen Morishita Yasunori, and Deputy Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Nguyen Doan Anh of Vietnam Peoples’ Army, attended the event, along with delegations from more than 30 countries.

The central theme of the conclave was 'Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region'.

This gathering provided a platform for senior military leaders from land forces in the Indo-Pacific region to exchange ideas on security and contemporary issues, with a core focus on promoting peace and stability through mutual understanding, dialogue, and cooperation among littoral nations.

General Manoj Pande, the Indian Army Chief, made implicit references to China's construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea during his address stating, "apart from challenges in the maritime domain, a wide range of challenges are on the land too. These range from territorial disputes over land masses, or in some cases even over artificially expanded islands to acquire real estate and establish military bases."

Some additional challenges General Pande said, "includes trans-national threats of terrorism, consequences of climate change impacting the inhabited islands or coastal areas of rim nations and natural calamities."

He adds "these challenges are manifesting as threats, singularly or plurally, impacting one or more nations in the Indo-Pacific region. While efforts by countries are converging towards effecting a free and stable Indo-Pacific, we are witnessing manifestations of inter-state contestations and competitions.”

General Pande also said that the region is bound by geography, and destinies are 'intertwined'.

The security and prosperity of one nation is intrinsically linked to the security and prosperity of its neighbours, and much beyond, he said. “Therefore, each one of us has an important and a pivotal role to play.”

US Army Chief Randy George echoed the importance of allies and partners, drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, particularly highlighting the significance of long-range firepower.

He said, "the biggest lesson from the Russia-Ukraine war is the importance of partners and allies in order to share lessons, build friendships and exercise interoperability."

General Randy also highlighted the use of long-range firepower as a key element of the United States war-fighting startegy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized that the Indo-Pacific has evolved from a maritime construct into a comprehensive geo-strategic concept.

He stated, "Indo-Pacific is no more a maritime construct, but a 'full-fledged geo-strategic construct', and stated that the region is facing a complex web of security challenges, including boundary disputes and piracy."

The IPACC, established in 1999 as a biennial event, serves as a forum for army chiefs from Indo-Pacific countries to discuss common interests.

This edition marked the first time India jointly hosted the prestigious conclave with the United States, signaling the growing importance of the region in global geopolitics.