Logistics key to future wars, need to step up tri-service integration: General Bipin Rawat

New Delhi : Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat on Thursday stressed that all future wars will be conducted by the three services of the armed forces in an integrated manner, and will need sound logistics for success, as he operationalised the third Joint Logistics Node in Mumbai.”To enable our armed forces to conduct successful operations, it is essential that they be provided with sound logistics support during all stages of the war,” he said, operationalising and dedicating to the services the Joint Logistics Node, via video conferencing from New Delhi.The joint logistics node, the third after Port Blair and Guwahati, will provide integrated logistics cover to the armed forces for their small arms ammunition, rations, fuel, general stores, civil hired transport, aviation clothing, spares and also engineering support in an effort to synergise their operational efforts.In his remarks, Gen Rawat said: “Establishment and operationalisation of Joint Logistics Nodes is a very important first step in the direction of logistics integration of our three services. Acceptance of each other’s limitations and learning from each other’s strengths and best practices is essential to help improve the functioning and efficacy of these nodes.”This initiative would accrue advantages in terms of saving of manpower, economise utilisation of resources, besides leading to financial savings.Gen Rawat also complimented the ‘Tri-Yodhas’ who put in their heart and soul to make this node operational, saying: “I call upon everyone to continue to strive for excellence in our endeavour to become a fully integrated, modern and self-sufficient future-ready force.”Successful functioning of these three Joint Logistics Nodes would prove to be important stepping stones for opening of more Joint Logistics Nodes in different parts of the country, he added.The Joint Logistics Node would enhance joint inter-operability between the services and go a long way in improving the logistics processes of the armed forces in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directions to enhance the jointness among the three services.This important milestone is a harbinger of further strengthening of integrated logistics in the armed forces and will enable them to operate in all areas and across all spectrum of warfares seamlessly.The CDS also emphasised on the need to work towards greater logistics integration with national logistics, which has been provided renewed impetus in the recent past, saying it would help the armed forces to take benefit from the infrastructural and logistics improvements taking place at the national level.”Through this, we will bring to bear the actual ‘Whole of the Nation’ effort on our adversaries,” he added. He also urged the services to put in concerted efforts to achieve cost cutting as well as modernisation.The Joint Operations Division (JOD) under the aegis of Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff actively pursued and enabled establishment of the Joint Logistics Nodes as the first concrete step towards logistics integration of the three services.The government sanction for establishment of Joint Logistics Nodes in Mumbai, Guwahati and Port Blair was signed on October 12, 2020, and the latter two were operationalised on January 1, 2021.The Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Joint Logistics Nodes was also e-released by General Rawat on the occasion.