India's Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, on Tuesday, said that the military needs to be prepared to counter any type of aggression from Pakistan—be it by state or non-state actors.
Highlighting a change in the strategic vision, he termed this readiness as the "new norm" that soldiers need to absorb.
Speaking at the inaugural edition of the Annual Trident Lecture Series, organised by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) at Delhi Cantonment’s Manekshaw Centre, Gen Chauhan stressed the importance of maintaining high-level military readiness at all times—24/7, year-round. He also said that the line between war and peace is becoming increasingly blurred.
We need to make space for conventional action in the range between irregular threats and nuclear war," he described. He called upon the Indian military to confront Pakistan's doctrine of "full-spectrum deterrence," which seeks to deter violence at all levels, from low-intensity conflict to nuclear war. "Terrorists can't hide in any corner of Pakistan," he emphasized, calling for cross-border capability and operational accuracy.
Gen Chauhan underscored that India should have the capability to target fixed and moving objects at very far ranges with a credible deterrence and rapid response mechanism.
"It is important to recognize that responding to all acts of violence—whether perpetrated by Pakistan's state structures or proxies—needs to become the norm," he said.
Another corner of India's defence posture, in the CDS's view, is a strong dependence on India's nuclear doctrine, which he characterised as the bedrock of conventional approaches. He also emphasised having a technological lead and adopting defence innovations.
Spearheading the changing face of contemporary warfare, Gen Chauhan urged fast-moving adaptation to cutting-edge technologies, renovating old systems, and facilitating smooth integration in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The goal, he added, is to create a future-proof force that can combat intricate and dynamic threats.
A tweet by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) on X outlined Gen Chauhan's vision, saying that he motivated the military to follow an "indigenous, adaptive and forward-looking approach" based on strategic foresight, tech self-reliance, and doctrinal adaptability. He also emphasized creating a unique "Indian way of war-fighting" that incorporates kinetic and non-kinetic facets, with a focus on integrated and multi-domain operations.
One of the key features of the event was the release of the first-ever 'General Bipin Rawat Paper' on 'Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T)'. The paper is a tribute to India's first CDS and his visionary contribution in transforming joint operational philosophy.
Also released was the August 2025 issue of Synergy, the bi-monthly journal of CENJOWS, featuring in-depth commentary on global and regional security issues and trends.
