The 27th Infantry Commanders’ Conference was held at Infantry School, Mhow. A biennial event, the conference discussed operational, training and management issues pertaining to infantry.

Infantry is an arm of close combat, with the role of closing in with the enemy to ensure his defeat. This makes infantry the most indispensable and ultimate combat arm for achieving victory in war. In the modern era of low-intensity conflict operations, infantry, with its versatility and ability to achieve results under all adversities, has proved to be the key arm to achieve success. For their acts of valour and supreme sacrifice during various wars and operations, infantrymen have set an enviable combat record having won 17 Param Vir Chakra and 29 Ashok Chakra out of 20 Param Vir Chakra and 31 Ashok Chakra awarded so far.

The conference aimed at identifying strength and weaknesses of infantry so as to adapt to the pace of modernisation already afoot and set the vision for the infantry of the future. The Army’s involvement in the future, be it at strategic, operational or tactical level, will continue to be infantry-centric. If Army is the last bastion of nation's security, infantry is the means to achieve it. Keeping this in view, the conference deliberated on relevant issues through presentations and discussions.

The three-day conference was attended by Gen NC Vij, Chief of the Army Staff, GOC-in-Cs of Northern Command, Central Command and Army Training Command, Principal Staff Officers at Army Headquarters, a number of field force commanders and heads of various training establishments. Lt Gen K Nagaraj, Director General Infantry moderated the deliberations.

Som Hall, where the conference was held, is named after the martyr Maj Som Nath Sharma, who was posthumously awarded the first Param Vir Chakra, the highest military decoration for gallantry. The hall today houses the portraits of Param Vir Chakra awardees and scenes during valour of Kargil conflict.