Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) in Kolkata on Monday, marking the first major gathering of India’s armed forces since Operation Sindoor. The three-day conference is being hosted at the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army at Vijay Durg, formerly known as Fort Williams. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and all three service chiefs, are attending the event.
Operation Sindoor, conducted in May, was a precise, targeted campaign aimed at dismantling terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and in Pakistan. The operation highlighted a coordinated tri-services response demonstrating professionalism, precision, and strategic planning, according to defence officials.
The CCC serves as the apex forum for India’s military and civilian leadership to engage in strategic discussions and operational planning. This year’s edition is themed “Year of Reforms – Transforming for the Future” and will focus on institutional reforms, modernization, operational preparedness, and technological integration across the armed forces. Officials noted that the conference emphasizes sustaining a high level of multi-domain operational readiness while implementing deeper integration and reform measures.
The last CCC took place in Bhopal in 2023. The biennial conference brings together officers of various ranks for interactive sessions, enabling knowledge exchange and collective planning across the three services.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Kolkata on Sunday evening from Assam and will depart for Purnea in Bihar later on Monday. During his visit to Bihar, he is set to inaugurate several development projects worth over ₹36,000 crore and address a public rally. Additionally, he will open a newly developed airport terminal in northern Bihar, fulfilling long-standing demands for improved air connectivity in the region.
This CCC underscores India’s commitment to transforming its armed forces through modernization, operational excellence, and strategic reforms while also highlighting the government’s focus on regional development and connectivity initiatives alongside national security priorities.
