It is a rarity that the Army Commanders’ Conference (ACC) and the Navy Commanders’ Conference (NCC) are being held in the national capital with overlapping dates.
While the ACC is being held from 13 to 16 April, the first edition of the biannual NCC for 2026 is scheduled from 14 to 16 April. The Army and the Navy chiefs will chair their respective commanders’ meets.
With the West Asian region in turmoil amid the US–Iran and the Russia–Ukraine conflicts, their impact, linkages to India, and the military implications will be discussed in both meetings. With drones and counter-drones playing a critical role in both ongoing conflicts, the ACC discussions will focus on “the employment of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS technologies”, with the aim of enhancing operational efficiency and the combat effectiveness of fighting formations in modern multi-domain warfare.
Among other items on the agenda, the ACC will deliberate on updating training doctrines for future threats and enhancing soldier welfare to ensure high force resilience. Apart from technology infusion, the forum will review Human Resource Management (HRM) policies, including a discussion on the revision of promotion policies for Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) and Other Ranks (OR).
Besides the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the three service chiefs, the ACC will also be addressed by Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and the Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB), Alok Joshi.
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On the other hand, this NCC edition is considered particularly significant in light of “swift naval deployments to safeguard India’s energy security” amidst the ongoing conflicts and the convergence of Multi-National Forces (MNFs) in the Indian Ocean Region. Among other agenda items, “reaffirming the Navy’s operational doctrine, inter-services coordination, and technology-driven response mechanisms post-Operation Sindoor” will also be discussed.
A Navy release stated: “Alongside security imperatives, the deliberations will focus on achieving decisive operational success, enhancing blue-water capabilities, training, human resource management, sustainable maintenance practices, effective employment of uncrewed systems, operational logistics, and other key enablers for the combat readiness of platforms.”
“Discussions are also planned to review the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence roadmap for pan-Navy solutions and data-driven technologies for seamless operations,” it added.
