… Institution of a body of military professionals to participate in defence policy-making at the apex level, duly empowered in highest level advisory as well as management roles, is a call of strategic wisdom. This call must be attended to with alacrity… institution of a fully empowered CDS being the inaugural step towards that end …

India has to be militarily powerful to be a meaningful player in international politics. As the world’s fifth largest economy, it must be a secure nation to deter her enemies. India’s Poet Laureate Dr. Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, in his poem quoted above, has correctly observed that only the powerful possess the ability to pardon someone and that no one cares for the weak or toothless.

… motto of NCC, ‘Unity & Discipline’, is committed to the empowerment of youth .. making invaluable contributions towards nation building ... it flags two vital issues of contemporary concern .. united and disciplined citizenry would be central to the realisation of India’s dreams of emerging as a secure and prosperous nation .. NCC can play a role with some modifications to its curriculum and provision of some additionalities ..

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini (INSV Tarini) comprising six women officers of the Indian Navy circumnavigated the globe in 254 days. The voyage commenced on September 10, 2017 and was completed on May 21, 2018. The expedition was called ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’. This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. The vessel was skippered by Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprised Lt Cdrs Pratibha Jamwal and P Swathi, and Lts S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.