Modern warfare is no longer linear, but India's wars are now networked, deceptive and home-grown: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan

Time of India

a day ago

India
operated without foreign assistance during
Operation Sindoor
while Pakistan likely leaned on Chinese sources, said Chief of Defence Staff (
CDS
) General
Anil Chauhan
. Speaking to an international group of defence thinkers at the
Shangri-La Dialogue
in
Singapore
on Friday, General Chauhan outlined the shifting nature of war and India's approach to narrative, technology, and autonomy in conflict.
"While Pakistan likely leveraged Chinese sources, there's no definitive proof of real-time targeting support. India, however, relied on its indigenous systems like
Akash
, which had notable success in system networking, integrating multiple platforms, including foreign radars, into a cohesive defence system," said General Chauhan.
He added, 'On our end, we've not only used indigenous platforms like the Akash missile system effectively, but we've also built our own networking infrastructure for air defence without relying on foreign vendors.'
Complexity of modern conflicts
Modern warfare is no longer linear, General Chauhan warned. It now spans not only land, sea and air, but also cyber, space and even time.
"Modern warfare is undergoing a complex convergence of tactical, operational and strategic layers; old and new domains (land, air, sea, cyber and space); and even of time and space," he said.
Live Events
According to him, this demands a new military mindset: battlefields must be demassified, forces distributed, and operations non-linear. 'We're no longer fighting linear wars; we're operating across distributed networks, applying force in non-linear ways, where deception is becoming more important than surprise,' he explained.
He said these new dynamics require serious adaptation. 'Understanding this convergence is key to preparing for future conflicts.'
Tackling disinformation and shaping the narrative
The CDS devoted significant attention to the role of information in today's battles. During Operation Sindoor, controlling the narrative was a deliberate task, he said.
"Combating fake news was a constant effort. Our communication strategy was deliberate; we chose to be measured, not reactive, because misinformation can quickly distort public perception during high-stakes operations," said General Chauhan.
He cited an example from the early days of Operation Sindoor: 'India has always built its narratives on solid ground, even if we've sometimes been slow to present them. For instance, in the first three days, two women officers were our primary spokespeople because the actual military leadership were directly engaged in fast-moving operations. It was only after the 10th that the
DGMOs
came forward to brief the media.'
He also called for a formalised vertical in the armed forces to counter disinformation and narrative warfare. 'Fifteen per cent of armed forces time during operations was spent countering fake narratives,' he said.
Indigenous capabilities and integration
General Chauhan stressed that India's push for self-reliance has made concrete progress. Indigenous systems like Akash have been networked with various domestic and foreign sensors to create a seamless national air defence structure.
"What matters most in modern warfare is the networking of systems and real-time integration across air, land, sea and cyber domains," he stated. 'If you have great tech but it's not connected, you can't fully leverage it.'
The shift is visible in institutional reforms as well. 'Regarding structural reforms, earlier we didn't have true jointness or integration in the military. Now, after initiatives and operational experiences, we are moving toward integrated commands and leaner, more flexible structures,' he noted.
He said India would also need dedicated organisations for drones, electronic warfare and unmanned teaming aerial platforms (UTAPs).
Rethinking military education and operations
General Chauhan said doctrinal change is as important as technological advancement. 'Doctrinally, we must update our understanding of multi-domain operations, cyber, space, ISR, and joint targeting; all of this needs work.'
Highlighting a change in military education, he said: 'For the first time, we have a truly joint staff course where 40 officers from all three services train together for a full year. That's a major shift.'
Cyber attacks had limited impact
On the cyber front, he said India's operational systems were secure and largely unaffected by digital threats.
'As someone directly involved in these operations, I can say that cyber did play a role in the conflict, but its impact was limited. While both sides did experience attacks, including some denial-of-service efforts, our military systems are air-gapped, meaning they're not connected to the internet and are therefore largely secure,' he said.
'Attacks on public-facing platforms like school websites may have occurred, but they did not affect operational systems,' he added.
Defence modernisation and strategic independence
Speaking on India's broader defence posture, General Chauhan underlined that national security is now closely tied to economic planning and self-reliant innovation.
"On defence modernisation, we're moving toward self-reliance. While initially difficult, the process has started through programmes like
Atmanirbhar Bharat
. We can't rely 100 per cent on foreign elements, especially for networked warfare,' he said.
He pointed to the rise of defence startups and India's edge in education. 'We produce the largest number of
STEM
graduates in the world, more than 20 IITs. Give them a defence problem and you'll have hundreds working on it. That's an untapped advantage we must channel with focus,' he said.
When asked about losses during Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan was candid. 'No war is flawless, but it's not the number of losses that matters; what matters is how we respond. And we did respond, effectively and without further losses, within three days.'
He also cautioned against the financial toll of long-term military mobilisation. 'India has remained mobilised for months without engaging in combat, and that imposes a huge financial burden. That's why we disengage swiftly once an operation concludes.'
He concluded with a reflection on the future: 'We do not seek prolonged wars because they slow down our national development, a goal that some adversaries might want to hinder. On the automation front, I believe the reduced human cost of war due to machine-based systems might increase the temptation to use force, which is a dangerous trend.'