The Indian Army recently launched ‘Project Udbhav‘ with the aim of rediscovering the profound Indian heritage of statecraft and strategic thoughts derived from ancient Indian texts. “Project Udbhav, initiated by the military, aims to tap into ancient Indian treatises such as Chanakya’s Arthashastra, Kamandaka’s Nitisara, and the Thirukkural by the Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar to glean insights on statecraft, strategy, diplomacy, and warfare.
Promoting “Indianisation” Across Sectors
This project is part of a broader government initiative to promote “Indianisation” across various sectors, including education, health, and science. With its focus on gathering insights on statecraft, strategy, diplomacy, and warfare from ancient Indian philosophy, Project Udbhav aims to enrich contemporary military practices and address modern security challenges
Synthesizing Ancient Wisdom and Contemporary Military Practices
‘Project Udbhav’ is a visionary initiative by the Indian Army, which seeks to synthesize ancient wisdom with contemporary military practices. This project aims to forge a unique and holistic approach to address modern security challenges. The name ‘Udbhav,’ meaning ‘origin‘ or ‘genesis,’ embodies the Indian Army’s endeavor to revisit the roots of India’s military thoughts. The core objective of the project is to integrate age-old wisdom with contemporary military pedagogy.
Unveiling the Profound Legacy of India’s Ancient Knowledge System
Rooted in a 5,000-year-old civilization, the ancient Indian knowledge system boasts a vast collection of texts, the world’s largest manuscript repository, a multitude of scholars, and diverse knowledge domains. Project UDBHAV is poised to enable a comprehensive exploration of our knowledge systems and philosophies while striving to grasp their enduring connections, relevance, and applicability in the contemporary world.
Chanakya’s Influence on Modern Military Practices
One of the striking aspects of ‘Project Udbhav’ is its focus on ancient Indian texts and teachings, particularly those of Chanakya, the renowned scholar, teacher, economist, and political strategist of ancient India. Chanakya’s teachings on statecraft and warfare are so valuable that they are also included in the curriculum of the United States Army War College, a prestigious military college in Pennsylvania. This reflects the enduring relevance of ancient Indian wisdom in the modern world.
Aligning with Modern Military Practices
‘Project Udbhav’ bridges the gap between ancient wisdom and modern military techniques, enabling India to address the evolving security challenges of the 21st century. The project embodies the belief that age-old scriptures and writings, spanning centuries in the past, contain profound knowledge that can significantly benefit modern military strategies.
The Indian Military Heritage Festival
The launch of ‘Project Udbhav’ coincided with the inauguration of the first edition of the Indian Military Heritage Festival in New Delhi. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled the project during this grand event. The festival serves as a platform to celebrate and showcase India’s rich military heritage, drawing attention to the country’s centuries-old military traditions, strategies, and contributions to the field of statecraft.
