General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) said on Thursday that modern conflicts are increasingly focused on achieving political objectives through non-military means, with military strategies incorporating new technological advancements.
He described contemporary warfare as a continuum of 5Cs – Competition, Crisis, Confrontation, Conflict, and Combat, blending statecraft and diplomacy with kinetic and non-kinetic actions.
The COAS was addressing the participants of the 26th Doctrine and Strategy Seminar (DSS) in Mhow on Thursday. The two-day seminar, themed 'Need for Adaptive Doctrines/ Operational Philosophy for Indian Army in View of Recent Conflicts and Technology Infusion in Warfare', was conducted at the Army War College.
Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, the COAS identified key takeaways as combined arms operations, asymmetric tactics leverage, and civil-military integration enhancement. These lessons indicate the need for military leaders to operate seamlessly within the larger DIME T framework. He also pointed to the Decade of Transformation (2023-2032) underway as a step towards that integrated approach.
The Army Chief appreciated the depth of strategic and operational analysis, which underlined the imperative for transformation and adaptation in the face of the dynamic nature of warfare.
The COAS further highlighted the defining characteristics of 5th-generation warfare, which include actions that are not kinetic in nature, such as disinformation and cyber-attacks, coupled with artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. He emphasized that, although new generations of warfare are coming into existence, older generations are still pertinent, with both non-contact and non-kinetic methods being integrated into military strategies.
In discussing national security challenges, the COAS spoke about the intricacies of Grey Zone operations, the two-front challenge, and the need for convergence of land operations, maritime and air strategies to protect India's interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The Indian Army must change doctrines to combat multi-dimensional threats from both state and non-state actors as adversaries are increasingly using hybrid strategies.
The COAS argued that military doctrines must have flexibility to enable unity of effort while fostering individual judgment. Technology, including artificial intelligence, precision warfare, and cyber capabilities, must be integrated to support multi-domain operations. He reiterated the need for military leaders at the front lines to make rapid adjustments to technological changes and to encourage institutional agility in developing and deploying these new technologies.
On the role of leadership, the COAS highlighted its paramount importance in military adaptation. Strong and adaptive leadership is crucial to overcome challenges in doctrine and technology. The COAS also advocated for a reduction in excessive doctrinal rigidity, urging greater agility, decentralisation, and rapid decision-making, particularly at the tactical level.
In conclusion, the COAS called for the development of adaptive doctrines that incorporate dynamic threat assessments, technology integration, realistic training, and wargaming. These doctrines should promote jointness, interoperability with allied nations, and seamless civilian-military synergy, leveraging innovations from the private sector for military applications.
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