Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande visited Bangladesh on June 5-6, 2023 to expand bilateral defence and security ties. It was his second visit to Bangladesh after assuming the top post last year. General Pande was accompanied by a delegation of senior military officers and the visit was part of a series of high-level exchanges between India and Bangladesh.

The visit was seen as a sign of the strong and growing defence ties between India and Bangladesh. The two countries have been working together to address common security challenges, such as terrorism and cross-border smuggling. As an outcome of the visit, the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, border security, and disaster management and also agreed to work together on joint military exercises and training.

The visit was a success and helped to further strengthen the already close defence ties between India and Bangladesh. It is expected that the two countries will continue to work together to address common security challenges in the region. A detailed report by Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd) on the COAS visit is the lead story of this issue.

While the future of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) is unknown, there are a number of trends that are likely to shape their development in the coming years. One of the trends is the development of new technologies that will improve the survivability of MBTs. These technologies include active protection systems (APS), which can intercept incoming missiles and rockets, and new armour materials that are more resistant to penetration. The development of new weapons systems is also likely to have an impact on the future of MBTs. These weapons systems include long-range precision missiles, which could be used to target MBTs from outside their range of fire, and new types of antitank mines. Major General Rajiv Narayanan (Retd) talks about why the development of India’s MBT needs to be a parallel approach, given the emergence of these disruptive technologies.

In addition to these technological trends, the future of MBTs will also be shaped by the changing nature of warfare. In recent years, there has been a trend towards asymmetric warfare, in which small, lightly armed groups use improvised weapons to attack large, powerful militaries. In his article, Major General Atanu Pattanaik emphasises that the tank must be built first and foremost to be suited to the type of war an army is prepared to fight.

The ongoing violence in the Northeast region of India, especially Manipur, is a complex issue with a long history. This violence has had a devastating impact on the region’s economy and society. In another article in this issue, Major General Atanu Pattanaik (Retd) tries to identify the main causes of this strife in the region and in the state of Manipur. By understanding the root causes of the violence and taking steps to address them, the Indian government can bring peace and stability to the region.

All this and more in this issue of SP’s Land Forces!