India's response to future conflicts must be swift, decisive: CDS Gen Chauhan

Mhow: India's response to future security challenges must be unified, swift and decisive in view of technological advancement and rapidly changing nature of war-fighting across land, sea and air, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Monday.

The top military officer underlined the need for greater synergy among the three services as part of preparations to enhance India's military might.

"At a time when the character of conflict is evolving rapidly across land, sea, air, cyber and space, our response must be unified, swift and decisive," he said.

"The future battlefield does not recognise service boundaries. It demands joint thinking, joint planning and joint execution," he added.

Calling for greater tri-services synergy, Gen Chauhan said, "We must prepare not just to fight together but also to think together." Jointmanship is no longer aspirational, it is the foundation of our ongoing transformation, he noted.

Gen Chauhan made the remarks ahead of a two-day conclave titled 'Ran Samvad' that will focus on various aspects and operational insights of battlefields and ways to boost India's war-fighting capabilities.

It will be held at the Army War College, Mhow, on August 26 and 27.

"The seminar is a significant step forward where serving officers lead the conversation of the realities of war, warfare and war fighting," he noted.

The chief of defence staff said Ran Samvad will provide a platform where the collective vision of the military will be debated, refined and strengthened.

"This seminar is not about showcasing power. It's about shaping clarity of purpose, unity of effort and shared operational understanding across services. We must prepare not just to fight together but also to think together," he said.

The Ran Samvad brings serving military professionals to the forefront of strategic dialogue and it will witness Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivering the plenary address on the final day.

Gen Chauhan will speak on the opening day.

A few joint doctrines and the technology perspective and capability roadmap will also be released during the event.

The event is a first-of-its-kind initiative, wherein each thematic session will be led by serving officers sharing their first-hand operational insights and reflections from modern battlefields.

It has been curated by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, in cooperation with the Army Training Command, under the overall guidance of the CDS.

Designed as a dynamic platform for in-uniform narratives and practical perspectives, Ran Samvad aims to enhance interaction, communication and cooperation among military communities on issues critical to war fighting, according to the organisers.

It will offer a ground-up understanding of the evolving nature of warfare, rooted in live experience and professional expertise from combat soldiers, they said.

The event is expected to feature the participation of top military leadership from all three services, alongside leaders from the defence industry and international security experts.

It will explore themes ranging from information warfare and grey zone threats to integrated operations and future combat technologies, the organisers said.

This year's edition, being hosted by the Indian Army, will lay the foundation for a rotational conduct of the seminar across services, with the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force set to take the lead in subsequent years, they said.