Summary: Combined Commanders’ Conference Address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• Event Overview: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the Combined Commanders’ Conference from September 15 to 17, 2025, in Kolkata. This will be his first engagement with top military leadership following the success of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.

• Focus Areas of the Conference:

  • Progress on higher defence reforms, particularly the establishment of three integrated theatre commands aimed at improving the operational efficiency and synergy among the Army, Navy, and Air Force in future conflicts.
  • Discussion on the lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor, which will influence the evolving military command structure being designed by the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) under Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

• Theatre Commands:

  • The theatre commands, once implemented, will alter India’s warfighting architecture by integrating the armed forces under unified command structures tailored to specific geographical areas.
  • There had been discussions regarding the structure of these commands during the recent ‘Ran Samvaad’ at the Army War College in Mhow, highlighting differing opinions from the Air Chief and Navy Chief.

• Additional Key Themes:

  • The conference will also review the advancements towards self-reliance in defence, emphasizing the development of indigenous weapon systems.
  • Notably, the Prime Minister had announced ‘Mission Sudarshan Chakra’ on Independence Day, aiming to establish an indigenous air defense system by 2035.
  • On August 19, 2025, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the procurement of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force, reflecting ongoing efforts in self-reliance and modernization of the armed forces.

• Official Participation: The Prime Minister will deliver his remarks on the second day, followed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the third day of the conference.

• Conference Frequency: The Combined Commanders’ Conference is held biannually; this year it was initially planned for April but was rescheduled due to Operation Sindoor. The previous conference took place in 2023 in Bhopal.

• Publication Date: The article containing this information was published on September 5, 2025.

This conference aims to solidify India’s defence reforms while adapting to lessons from recent military operations, furthering the nation’s goal of self-reliance in defence production.

Important Points:

• Prime Minister Modi to address military leadership at Combined Commanders’ Conference in Kolkata (Sept 15-17, 2025).
• First address post-success of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
• Focus on integrated theatre commands for enhanced operational efficiency.
• Lessons from Operation Sindoor will inform evolving military command structures.
• ‘Mission Sudarshan Chakra’ announced to develop indigenous air defense system by 2035.
• CCS approved procurement of 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter aircraft for IAF on August 19, 2025.
• Conference is biannual; this year's event was rescheduled from April 2025 due to military operations.

Summary of the Amnesty International Report on Sectarian Violence in Syria

On September 2, 2025, Amnesty International released a statement detailing evidence of systemic executions of 46 members of the Druze minority by Syrian government forces during sectarian violence in July 2025. This violence followed clashes that began on July 13 between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin factions but escalated rapidly, implicating government forces and various tribal fighters in the violence.

Key Points:

• Incident Overview: The clashes commenced on July 13, 2025, and involved Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin factions, drawing in Syrian government personnel and additional tribal fighters.
• Amnesty's Findings: The findings revealed that Syrian government personnel and affiliated groups carried out extrajudicial executions of 46 Druze individuals, which occurred predominantly on July 15 and 16 in various public locations, including residential areas and a hospital in Sweida city.
• Mass Casualties: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported that over 2,000 people were killed during the violence, with 789 of these being Druze civilians who were "summarily executed."
• Perpetrators: Amnesty documented that the crimes were executed by armed men in security and military uniforms, some bearing official insignia. At least four individuals visible in videos wore a black patch associated with the Islamic State (IS) group; however, IS has not claimed responsibility for these specific attacks.
• International Human Rights Law Violations: Diana Semaan, Amnesty’s Syria researcher, characterized the actions of security forces as extrajudicial killings, which constitute a crime under international law. She called for an independent and transparent investigation into these violations.
• Ongoing Investigations: Amnesty International is also investigating credible reports regarding abductions conducted by Druze armed groups and Bedouin fighters amidst the chaos.
• Government Response: In response to the violence, Syrian authorities established a committee to investigate the events in Sweida, promising to deliver findings within three months and assured accountability for the atrocities, particularly emphasized after the emergence of a video depicting an unarmed man's execution.
• Humanitarian Situation: Residents in Sweida have expressed grave concerns regarding the humanitarian conditions in the region, which were exacerbated by the ongoing violence that resulted in the road to Damascus being closed for over a month before reopening recently.

The findings by Amnesty International reflect a serious breach of human rights and underline the complex and volatile situation in Syria, with inter-sectarian tensions remaining a critical issue.

Important Sentences:

• Amnesty International reported evidence of 46 Druze executions by Syrian government forces during July 2025 sectarian violence.
• The violence began on July 13 and escalated quickly, leading to over 2,000 total casualties, including 789 Druze civilians.
• Evidence includes verified videos showing armed men in military uniforms executing unarmed individuals.
• Diana Semaan stated these actions are considered extrajudicial executions under international law.
• Syrian authorities formed an investigative committee to report findings within three months regarding the Sweida violence.
• Concerns about the humanitarian situation in Sweida have escalated due to prolonged road closures to Damascus.

The discovery of a mass grave in Chemmani, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, has led to the unearthing of over 200 human remains, including those of children, shedding light on the grim consequences of the country's long-standing civil war. This grave, believed to contain the remains of Tamil civilians dating back to the mid-1990s, has sparked significant media attention, particularly within Tamil media, but has received limited coverage in the English and Sinhala press.

Key Points:

• Archaeological Findings:

  • Over 200 skeletons retrieved from a mass grave in Chemmani, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, which is significant for understanding the civil war's tragic toll.
  • The grave was accidentally discovered in February 2025 during the expansion of a neighboring Hindu crematorium.

• Historical Context:

  • The site is linked to witness testimonies from Somaratne Rajapakse, convicted for involvement in the murder, abduction, and rape of 18-year-old Tamil Krishanthi Kumaraswamy, who indicated that 300 to 400 bodies were buried in Chemmani.
  • The ongoing narrative of atrocities committed during the civil war (1983-2009) remains a point of contention between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities.

• Journalistic Initiative:

  • Three young journalists—Tharindu Jayawardhana, M.F.M. Fazeer, and Tharindu Uduwaragedara—have published a Sinhala-language book titled "Chemmani," aiming to present these events to Sinhalese readers, who largely perceive the military actions as justified.
  • The publication was launched at the National Library in Colombo, marking a significant effort to bridge the media coverage gap on the subject, considering the mainstream media's limited reporting on Tamil civilian casualties during the civil war.

• Ethnic and Social Dynamics:

  • The conflict narratives reveal a prevailing sense of nationalism within the Sinhalese community, often depicting state forces as heroes while dismissing reports of Tamil civilian deaths.
  • For Tamils, the military's actions are remembered as part of a broader pattern of state brutality, with many families still grappling with the absence of their loved ones.

• Government Response:

  • The Dissanayake government has been cautious regarding international involvement, choosing instead to focus on domestic processes to address the issue.
  • Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara announced the reopening of over 10,000 missing persons' cases while acknowledging a general distrust among Tamil communities towards state mechanisms.

• Calls for Accountability:

  • Many families of the disappeared express a strong desire for international investigations, citing the unreliability of domestic processes.
  • The Office on Missing Persons (OMP), established in 2016, is involved in addressing cases linked to disappearances and mass graves, with over a dozen sites currently under investigation across Sri Lanka.

• Future Implications:

  • The Chemmani site and the associated discussions are crucial for reconciliation, as they reveal the ongoing divisions and unresolved issues stemming from Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict.
  • The need for truth, justice, and accountability remains paramount, as further unearthing of mass graves could illuminate the extensive human toll of the civil war.

This discovery emphasizes the critical importance of historical recognition and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, especially regarding the experiences of both Sinhalese and Tamil communities amidst the enduring conflict narrative.