Future Warfare and Technological Alignment

During Aero India 2025, Chief of Defence Staff emphasized the need for the Army to evolve in response to emerging trends in warfare. He highlighted the complexity and multi-dimensional nature of modern conflicts, stating that merely aligning technology with future warfare is inadequate.

Key Points from the Address

• Emerging Warfare Trends:
  • Warfare is becoming more complex and multi-dimensional.
  • Conventional conflicts persist alongside new forms of warfare.
• Technological Influence:
  • Emerging technologies like AI, autonomous weapons, and sixth-generation aircraft are critical to future conflicts.
  • The exact impact of these technologies is still unclear.
• Need for Evolution:
  • The Army must develop new concepts, doctrines, organizations (such as theatre commands), culture, and processes.
  • There is a need to invest in technology and ideas to stay competitive.
• Changing Nature of Battlefields:
  • New domains like cyberspace and electromagnetic spectrum are emerging.
  • Unmanned platforms and non-contact warfare are expanding the battle space.
• Disruptive Technologies:
  • Quantum science and artificial intelligence could transform warfare.
  • Traditional battlefields are expanding, necessitating new technologies for cross-domain operations.
• Nature of Warfare:
  • Warfare has shifted from rational and finite to irrational and perpetual.
  • The dynamic between human combatants and machines is evolving.