Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kolkata on Sunday night to inaugurate one of the Indian armed forces’ biggest strategic gatherings since last year’s Operation Sindoor. The Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) will run from Sunday to Tuesday at Fort William, the headquarters of the Eastern Command.
Mr Modi flew in late in the evening and headed straight to Raj Bhavan, the colonial-era Governor’s House, where he will spend the night. On Sunday morning he is due to open the conference, which will bring together Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The high-level meeting will focus on border security, institutional reform and accelerating the modernisation of the armed forces. Senior defence officials said lessons drawn from Operation Sindoor — India’s cross-border strikes following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists — would also shape the deliberations.
The CCC has long been a forum for frank exchanges between military commanders and the political leadership. The last edition, in Bhopal in 2023, was also opened by Mr Modi, but this year’s event in Kolkata carries additional weight in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
The prime minister’s presence, however, also means disruption for the city. Kolkata Police have imposed sweeping traffic restrictions through the weekend. Commissioner Manoj Verma said the movement of goods vehicles on major arteries was banned between 3.30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, and again from 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Streets around Raj Bhavan are shut to heavy traffic until late Saturday night, while extra barricades and checkpoints have been put in place near Fort William.
For many residents, the curbs are a familiar inconvenience whenever a VVIP comes to town. But officials insisted they were essential, given the scale of the security operation and the sensitivity of the conference.
Defence ministry sources said the final day of discussions on Monday would be attended by senior bureaucrats, including Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, before the prime minister returns to Delhi.
