Cross-Border Terrorism Global Challenge: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said cross-border terrorism has become a global menace and modernisation of defence capabilities is the need of the hour to tackle new challenges. Addressing the 63rd course members of the National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi in the Parliament complex, Birla said India has a rich and enduring heritage of military strategy."India today is making a significant contribution to global progress, development, prosperity, peace and stability. At a time when the national security scenario is becoming complex, cross-border terrorism has become a global challenge," he said.

Birla emphasised that modernisation of defence capabilities is needed to tackle various challenges, such as cyber warfare, drugs, weapons and money laundering, through innovations.He welcomed the members of the NDC to the Parliament complex and hoped that their visit to the "temple of democracy" would acquaint them better with the practices and procedures in legislatures.The speaker noted that India has a long history of warfare and its study is a testimony to the fact that the country has a rich and enduring heritage of military strategy. He also said a strong military foundation has been laid over the last few years by taking initiatives towards making India's defence sector self-reliant.

Speaking on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, Birla noted that the panel acts as an important link between the elected representatives and the defence forces. He said as a parliamentary watchdog, the committee has been working on various important topics, such as assessment of the armed forces' preparedness for hybrid warfare, including strategic, cyber threats and anti-drone capabilities of the defence forces, important research initiatives, assessment of domestic production of defence equipment and modernisation of defence forces.