Army Chief Manoj Pande on Tuesday while speaking at a conference titled “Historical patterns in Indian Strategic Culture” organised by India’s oldest think-tank founded in 1870, United Service Institution (USI), remarked on Indian Army’s recent project name Udbhav that aims to explore the epic battles of the Mahabharat and also the strategic brilliance of Mauryas, Guptas and Marathas that have shaped India’s rich military heritage” as a part of an initiative.
The program also aims to make the force “progressive and future-ready, by drawing insights from the nation’s historical military wisdom”
He spoke about spoke about Indian Army’s Project Udbhav launched by defence minister Rajnath Singh last year that aimed to incorporate learnings from the Mahabharata, Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, and Arthashastra.
The project, he added, “has revealed substantial intellectual convergences between eminent Indian and Western scholars”.
Udbhav was launched at the Indian Military Heritage festival in October 2023 by Singh in a collaboration between the army and USI.
“The project has delved deep into ancient texts such as Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads and Arthashastra, which are rooted in inter-connectedness, righteousness and ethical values,” the army chief said.
The Udbhav compendium compiles the discussions that have taken place under the project so far, according to a senior official who asked to remain anonymous.
“It will be uploaded on the USI website soon,” he added.
India has a rich history of great warrior kings, like Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who showed excellent leadership and warfighting skills, said strategic affairs expert Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd).
“For a long time, India has studied warfighting concepts proposed by the West, which may not be the most relevant in our region and context. Our rich legacy will play a great role in guiding us and strategizing for the future,” Chopra added.
The Indian Army, the world’s second largest, is drawing lessons on statecraft, strategy, diplomacy, and warfare from ancient Indian philosophy. They are studying treatises such as Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Kamandaka’s Nitisara, and Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural. “Ancient Indian wisdom is rooted in a 5,000-year-old civilizational legacy, where immense value is placed on knowledge. This legacy is exemplified by a vast collection of intellectual literature, the world’s largest collection of manuscripts, and the nurturing of many thinkers and schools across various domains,” said Pande.
The project has delved into ancient texts such as the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, and Arthashastra, which focus on interconnectedness, righteousness, and ethical values, he added. “It has also explored the epic battles of the Mahabharata and the strategic brilliance during the reigns of the Mauryas, Guptas, and Marathas, which have shaped India’s rich military heritage.”
At the same event, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt praised the army and USI for the initiative. “The geopolitical landscape is ever-evolving, and our armed forces must be adaptive and innovative in their approach. By exploring our ancient texts and traditions, projects like Udbhav enrich our understanding of strategic culture and provide valuable insights into unconventional warfare strategies, diplomatic practices, and ethical considerations in warfare,” Bhatt added.
This effort is part of the government’s push to promote “Indianisation” in areas like education, health, and science. The army previously supported a project to compile Indian strategies based on ancient texts, resulting in a book on 75 aphorisms and another publication, Paramparik Bhartiya Darshan — Ranniti aur Netritva ke Shashwat Niyam (Traditional Indian Philosophy — Eternal Rules of Warfare and Leadership). The army encourages all ranks to read this book. This move comes as the armed forces focus on indigenizing military customs and erasing colonial traditions.
Changes include the navy adopting a new ensign inspired by the seal of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and dropping the Cross of St George, ending the practice of senior officers carrying batons, and the defence ministry launching a drive to rename British-era cantonments as military stations.
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