In News:

• The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) is organising the Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE) Programme at the United Service Institution of India, New Delhi.
• The initiative serves as a unique platform for civil-military engagement on national and regional security, bringing together senior officers from the Indian Armed Forces alongside officials from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, and Home Affairs.

Objectives and Significance

The CORE Programme aims to:

• Strengthen civil-military synergy in addressing multidimensional security threats.
• Enhance strategic awareness among senior officers and develop their capacity for balanced, pragmatic decision-making.
• Foster leadership development and inter-agency coordination in complex national and international security scenarios.

The programme underscores HQ IDS’s commitment to jointness within the Armed Forces and professional development, preparing participants to navigate dynamic security challenges effectively.

Key Themes and Focus Areas

The CORE Programme covers a spectrum of contemporary security issues, including:

• Regional and global security challenges
• Technological transformation of warfare
• Strategic communication
• Inter-agency collaboration and joint problem-solving

The programme employs a combination of lectures, interactive discussions, and sessions with subject-matter experts and professionals from diverse fields. This approach broadens participants’ outlook, encourages collaborative solutions, and strengthens the intellectual foundations of senior leadership.

Participants

The five-day programme brings together senior civil and military officers, facilitating a holistic understanding of national security from multiple perspectives. By promoting dialogue across the defence and civilian sectors, CORE enhances preparedness to address complex, multidimensional threats at both national and international levels.