Defence Minister Urges Armed Forces to be Ready for Unconventional Threats

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh encouraged the armed forces to remain alert and ready to counter “invisible” challenges from information, ideological, ecological and biological warfare.

About

• The turbulent global order, regional instability and evolving security landscape demanded constant assessment and preparedness.
• He urged commanders to work towards building the Sudarshan Chakra vision articulated by Prime Minister Modi.
  • It is India’s roadmap for building a 21st-century armed force which is  technologically advanced, joint, self-reliant, and strategically agile to secure national interests in a rapidly changing world.
  • A committee had been set up to prepare a medium-term (five-year) and long-term (10-year) road map for the project.

Why Modernisation is Needed? 

• Changing Nature of Warfare: Shift from traditional wars to hybrid warfare (cyber, space, information, drones, AI-enabled weapons). 
• Regional Security Challenges: China’s military build-up, Pakistan’s proxy wars, and terrorism.
• Technology Gap: Need to reduce dependence on imports and strengthen indigenous capabilities.
• Operational Preparedness: To maintain credible deterrence and ensure readiness for short, high-intensity conflicts.

Challenges In Achieving Modernisation: 

• Reorientation to Multi-Domain Conflict: Multi-domain high-tech operations will require multi-skilling and multi-competencies to prevail in a future conflict.
  • The art of war will need to be elevated along with the science of war.
• Human Capital & PME (Professional Military Education): Need for officers trained in strategic thinking, technology adaptation, and joint operations.
  • The current system is still tilted towards traditional, rank-based career progression.
• Technological Gaps: The Army lags behind in AI, robotics, drones, cyber, and electronic warfare.
  • Induction of modern systems is not matched by reforms in doctrine, training, and structures.
• Civil–Military Coordination Issues: Lack of synergy between MoD, armed forces, and industry.
  • Absence of a fully empowered procurement authority delays decisions.
• Geopolitical Pressures: Two-front challenge from China and Pakistan demands rapid modernisation, but pace remains slow.
  • There is a need for indigenous capabilities in case of sanctions or supply chain disruptions.

Government Initiatives

• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) & Department of Military Affairs (DMA) (2019): It was established to enhance jointness and integration in planning, procurement, and training.
• Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020: It promotes indigenous design, development & manufacturing, prioritises “Make in India” categories.
• 2025 declared “Year of Reforms”: Focus on enhancing tri‐service jointness & integration.
  • Simplification and speedier acquisition procedures. 
  • Emphasis on emerging domains: Cyber, Space, AI, Machine Learning, Hypersonics, Robotics.
• Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs): Push to restructure command structure so that Army, Navy, Air Force in a region operate under unified command.
  • Part of the “jointness” agenda to avoid duplication, improve responsiveness.
• Joint Doctrine & Technology Perspective & Capability Roadmap (TPCR) 2025: Released at “Ran Samwad 2025” to lay out standards, capability gaps and technology development for ~10‐year horizon.
  • Joint doctrines for multi-domain operations (land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive) plus specialised joint doctrines (e.g. Special Forces) to improve interoperability.
• Defence Industrial Corridors & Indigenous Production Push: Two defence industrial corridors have been established in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to bolster its defence manufacturing ecosystem and promote domestic defence production.
• Joint exercises: The Indian Armed Forces conduct tri-service integrated multi-domain exercises focused on coordinated operations involving the Army, Air Force, and Navy (Exercise Prachand Prahar, Exercise Desert Hunt).
• Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS): It provides the backbone for real-time coordination, enabling synchronized responses across multiple units of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. 

Way Ahead

• The goal of becoming a modern, adaptive, and tech-savvy force is not just a dream but an imperative in today’s world, where technology is fast overtaking warfare and warfighters.
• This transformation will require not just technological innovation, but also a commitment to rethinking force restructuring, adaptive training and tactics, and equipment, to become a future-ready force.

Source: TH