Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has emphasised the need for swift, decisive joint responses across all domains as the key to securing victory in future conflicts. Delivering the keynote address at RAN SAMWAD–a pioneering Tri-service seminar on war, warfare, and warfighting–he highlighted that future battlefields will not adhere to traditional service boundaries. The Ran Samwad seminar also included top military officers, including Defence Attaches from Bangladesh, the US, France, South Korea, and Australia, among others.

General Chauhan stressed that self-reliance in defence (Atmanirbharta) and integrated logistics are critical for future success, and reaffirmed that 'jointness' remains the cornerstone of India's military transformation.

The CDS also threw light on Operation Sindoor, as he pointed out that it was a modern conflict from which some lessons have been learnt and are under implementation. He also emphasised that India is not a pacifist, even as it stands on the side of peace while acknowledging that power ensures peace.

General Chauhan stressed that self-reliance in defence (Atmanirbharta) and integrated logistics are critical for future success, and reaffirmed that 'jointness' remains the cornerstone of India's military transformation. He called for institutionalising joint training and rapid adoption of emerging technologies–such as Artificial Intelligence, Cyber, and Quantum systems–to boost operational capabilities.

However, the CDS unscored the fundamentals, added that while geo-politics, diplomatic or international relations were important, they could also be a distraction. "We must focus on our primary job. I attempt to reshape the dominant narrative in the armed forces towards this basic job of war, warfare, and warfighting," General Chauhan said.

"We must focus on our primary job. I attempt to reshape the dominant narrative in the armed forces towards this basic job of war, warfare, and warfighting," General Chauhan said.

He added the current dimensions of warfare and said, "Contemporary warfare today is a kind of continuum of five Cs–competition, crisis, confrontation, conflict and combat, between wars." Underscoring the importance of civil-military integration, the CDS highlighted the development of Sudarshan Chakra–India's own version of the Iron Dome–as both a defensive and offensive capability. He stated that building domain-spanning capabilities will be essential for prevailing in tomorrow's wars.

Referencing Kautilya, General Chauhan noted India's historic legacy as a centre of knowledge, but lamented the lack of scholarly analysis and strategic literature on Indian warfare. "There is a pressing need for serious research on leadership, morale, motivation, and technology in the context of war. To become Sashakt, Surakshit, Aatmanirbhar, and Viksit, all stakeholders must work together to build future-ready armed forces," he said.

The concept of RAN SAMWAD aims to give voice to the military's practitioners–especially young and mid-level officers–who are closely attuned to evolving technological trends.

He explained that the concept of RAN SAMWAD aims to give voice to the military's practitioners–especially young and mid-level officers–who are closely attuned to evolving technological trends. He stressed the need to create an ecosystem that balances innovative thinking with the wisdom of experience.

The two-day seminar brings active military professionals to the forefront of strategic dialogue. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to deliver the plenary address on the concluding day. The event will also see the release of several Joint Doctrines and the Technology Perspective & Capability Roadmap, marking a significant step forward in India's strategic planning.

 

Manish Kumar Jha is a Consulting & Contributing Editor for SP's Aviation, SP's Land Forces and SP's Naval Forces and a security expert. He writes on national security, military technology, strategic affairs & policies.