Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday highlighted the rapid transformation of modern warfare, describing it as faster, smarter and shorter in duration, marked by a high operational tempo and instantaneous effects.
Speaking at an event at IIT Bombay, CDS Gen Chauhan said India must remain prepared for short, intense conflicts to effectively deter terrorism, citing Operation Sindoor as a key example. He noted that modern wars are no longer prolonged engagements but are fought across multiple domains simultaneously.
“Warfare in the new domains is faster and smarter. It is also shorter in duration, and the tempo of warfare is very, very high. Decisions are compressed in time, and the effects of war are felt almost instantly. This was clearly evident in Operation Sindoor, a conflict that lasted about four days and resulted in a decisive victory, with all domains of warfare being employed simultaneously at a very high tempo,” the CDS said.
Emphasising the need for multi-domain preparedness, Gen Chauhan said such operations are no longer optional but essential, as actions in one domain immediately influence outcomes in others.
Addressing India’s security challenges, the CDS pointed out that the country faces two adversaries, one being a nuclear weapon state and the other a nuclear-armed state. “We should not allow that level of deterrence to be breached,” he said, adding that India has territorial disputes with both neighbours.
“We must be prepared to fight short-duration, high-intensity conflicts to deter terrorism, something like Operation Sindoor. At the same time, we should be ready for land-centric, long-duration conflicts due to unresolved land disputes, even as we seek to avoid them,” he said.
Stressing the importance of innovation, Gen Chauhan added, “We must exploit new domains and create asymmetry with our weaker adversary, while ensuring that these asymmetries are not exploited by other nations.”
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. During the operation, Indian forces inflicted heavy damage on terror infrastructure located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan.
