VISV-2026: Defence Diplomacy and Strategic Autonomy in Focus
New Delhi, October 30: Speaking at a defence event in New Delhi on Friday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the global strategic environment as increasingly fragmented and conflict-ridden. He said confrontations in Europe and West Asia, the weaponisation of supply chains and the use of critical technologies as instruments of coercion all point to a more difficult world.
The remarks came at the VISV-2026 (Vision, Innovation, Synergy, Values) programme, organised jointly by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) at the Manekshaw Centre. The event carried the theme 'Demonstrating Defence Capabilities, Strengthening Global Partnerships.'
Also present were Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Foreign Secretary Misri. Misri said he was happy to attend the first outreach programme that DRDO had organised for foreign defence attachés, and he commended the Ministry of Defence and DRDO for launching it.
Misri spoke directly to the attachés, who represent a number of friendly countries. He observed that they are soldiers, sailors and airmen who have also, for a time, acted as diplomats. Their capacity to read signals and to build personal and institutional trust with Indian officials, he said, is as important as the work their colleagues perform in their missions.
He expressed confidence that programmes like VISV-2026 would increase awareness of the shifting geopolitical environment and help countries spot opportunities for mutual advantage. Calling the current international situation a defining geopolitical moment, he noted that the strategic landscape has become far more divided and contentious in recent times.
Misri said these developments are advancing faster than present international legal and policy frameworks, and even faster than diplomacy. He stated that terrorism continues to endanger societies and that some countries still use it as a tool of state policy. He added that pressure is building on global commons such as the oceans, cyberspace and outer space.
Climate instability, he stressed, is pushing the shortage of resources towards a serious crisis. Given these new security challenges, he said, international understanding and cooperation must be strengthened.
On defence diplomacy, Misri said, 'We have to increase our capacity and strength, and establish partnerships. This is the outlook of India's defence diplomacy.' He reminded the audience that India's foreign policy rests on strategic autonomy, which means taking decisions on its own assessment while keeping its national interests in view.
VISV-2026 is a DRDO initiative meant to showcase India's indigenous defence technology to the world and to strengthen ties with friendly countries. The programme brings together representatives from defence, industry, academia and the diplomatic community. Its purpose is to inform international partners about India's progress in defence research, development and production, while exploring fresh opportunities for technology-based collaboration and strategic partnerships.