Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday reviewed the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 150th Course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at the prestigious tri-services academy in Khadakwasla, Pune, marking the commissioning of 355 cadets into the Indian Armed Forces.
The ceremonial event was held at the Khetarpal Parade Ground, where the graduating cadets showcased military precision, discipline, and professionalism during an impressive march past before moving on to join the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.
The occasion carried special significance as General Dwivedi, himself an alumnus of the NDA’s 65th Course, returned to the institution as the Reviewing Officer. During his training days at the Academy, he was a cadet of Charlie Squadron before embarking on a distinguished military journey that eventually led him to become the Chief of the Indian Army.
Addressing the cadets at the Passing Out Parade, General Dwivedi reflected on his own experience at the Academy and the lifelong impact it had on him. “More than 42 years ago, I passed out through this very court, carrying the pride of what this Academy had made me, ready to have a rendezvous with what lay ahead.
Today, as I stand before you at the far end of a life in uniform, preparing to doff mine as you prepare to don yours, I can tell you with certainty that what begins here stays with you forever,” he said. The Army Chief also extended his greetings to the cadets from 12 friendly foreign nations who graduated alongside their Indian counterparts.
“You came from different soils, but you leave shaped by the same ground and the same values. Carry those bonds forward, as it is often such ties, formed long before rank and command, that greatly sustain peace between nations,” he said.
Speaking about the evolving nature of warfare and contemporary security challenges, General Dwivedi cautioned the young officers that they would be entering a rapidly changing strategic environment. “Dear Officer Cadets of the Spring Term, the world you are stepping into does not ask for introductions.
The boundary between competition and conflict has blurred. Threats today do not always arrive in uniform or on a declared front,” he remarked. Referring to 'Operation Sindoor', he said the operation had demonstrated how India responds firmly and precisely to challenges.
“Today’s security environment demands that those who serve must think sharply as they act. 'Operation Sindoor' demonstrated that and set the benchmark when national will was expressed with precision and resolve, defining how Bharat responds to provocation.
That standard now belongs to you to uphold,” he said. The Army Chief noted that the integrated and responsive outcomes witnessed during 'Operation Sindoor' were rooted in the very principles that the NDA inculcates in its cadets. He said the Academy teaches jointness not merely as a concept to be studied but as an instinct that develops through living, training, and growing together with cadets from all three services from the very beginning.
“As our Defence services deepen their integrated structures, remember, irrespective of the uniform we wear next, you will serve shoulder to shoulder again, both men and women,” he said. Emphasising the importance of lifelong learning, General Dwivedi advised the graduating cadets never to stop acquiring knowledge and improving themselves.
“What this Academy has given you is learning that must never stop. In four decades of soldiering, the finest officers I ever came across were not those decorated earliest. They were those who remained students the longest, who walked into every assignment asking, ‘What must I learn here?’ rather than ‘What must I prove here?’ That hunger is what the uniform demands -- hungry minds,” he said.
The Army Chief also identified three key qualities that would shape the future careers of the young officers. “Alongside that hunger, three qualities will define the kind of officer and leader you become attitude, adaptability and ability. Remember the sequence.
Attitude is your inner anchor. It holds firm when everything else shifts. Adaptability is not about changing with the wind; it is about holding your course while absorbing turbulence. And ability goes beyond skill. It is the capacity to inspire confidence, make sound decisions and remain composed under pressure.
Nurture all three with discipline, curiosity and courage,” he said. Sharing lessons from his own years of military leadership, General Dwivedi stressed that true leadership is earned through trust and character rather than authority alone. “As you prepare to lead soldiers, I leave you with one simple thought.
Leadership, when it is real, is not announced. It is recognised quietly by the soldiers beside you. I have commanded in conditions where no plan survived first contact. What held us together in those moments was not firepower. It was character. Lead so that your soldiers choose to follow not because they must, but because they trust you,” he said.
The Army Chief also praised the women cadets graduating from the Academy, highlighting their performance and commitment. “As I look at this parade today, there is one more acknowledgement I wish to make with genuine pride. The female cadets passing out with their Course stood in every formation and met every standard.
On this parade square today, they are indistinguishable from anyone else. That is exactly the point. In the battles ahead, courage and resolve know no gender. Battle is always gender-neutral,” he said. Expressing confidence in the graduating cadets, General Dwivedi said they would serve the nation with distinction in their respective services.
“I am confident you will serve with distinction in the services you join. To the families present here, your sacrifice is written into every step your son or daughter took on this ground. You held the faith quietly and from a distance through every demanding term.
Today belongs to you as much as to them. Be proud, as you have every reason to be,” he said. The Army Chief also commended the instructors, staff members, and drill 'ustads' whose efforts, he said, were reflected in the exceptional standards displayed on the parade ground.
Concluding his address, General Dwivedi reminded the cadets of the enduring values upon which the Academy was built and urged them to carry those ideals throughout their military careers. “Officer Cadets of the 150th Course, you leave this parade square not having arrived, but having begun.
Carry with you the words upon which this Academy was built -- ‘Seva Parmo Dharma (Service Before Self)'. Every difficult question this profession asks of you, every moment when duty and comfort pull in different directions, those words are the answer. It is what you must carry as you begin your journey. Step forward, serve well. The nation expects nothing less,” he said.