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Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008
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PM to address top services officials

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the combined commanders’ conference of the armed forces on November 1. He is expected to outline the government’s expectations from them in the new situation, where India would like to project its military power beyond the country’s shores.

Dr. Singh is likely to flesh out the brief observations from senior members of the government about the projection of military power in the extended neighbourhood to safeguard India’s transit routes of energy and trade as well as provide help to its nationals and people of other countries in distress. Recently, Defence Minister A. K. Antony had observed that the “comfort offered by national boundaries no longer constitutes effective defence.” But he did not elaborate.

An annual event, the conference will see the top brass of all the three services listen to Dr. Singh, Mr. Antony and Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on the nation’s strategic outlook in the coming years. The interaction would be significant since the fate of the nuclear deal with the U.S. would be clear by then.

The three services chiefs would also bring their views to the notice of the Prime Minister and other senior members of his Cabinet.

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