The Indian Army chief’s take on warfare is interesting in that he still gives primacy to physical territorial control as the ultimate measure of military triumph. The theory is hardly contestable, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin would vouch for it as he seeks land in Ukraine
It appears that the wars of the new millennium are endless. A more than four-year-long engagement in Europe might seem a trifle in terms of time in a continent that saw wars lasting up to 100 years. But, as an uncertain world teeters from one crisis to another currently, what has changed is not whether wars end or pause, but how the players are reshaping the battlefield with asymmetrical warfare as Iran and its proxies have done with a measure of success.
The Indian Army chief’s take on warfare is interesting in that he still gives primacy to physical territorial control as the ultimate measure of military triumph. The theory is hardly contestable, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin would vouch for it as he seeks land in Ukraine.
The ground reality — as seen in the fight for control of the waters of the Strait of Hormuz and incidents in the Bab al-Mandab Strait — is somewhat different as drones and missiles are calling the shots in a new kind of warfare which calls for unusual responses in defence as well as in attack.
The Army Chief concedes that drones, which are being manufactured more cheaply than ever before, are challenging the traditional war manuals as they force the use of missiles launched from shield systems that cost millions.
India is aware of these developments, and the Army has made several moves to pep up and prep its drone warfare and missile shield capabilities that represent ongoing military preparedness manifested in eternal vigilance which, of course, is the price to be paid for national security.
The current conflicts in Europe and West Asia must be offering reams of knowledge of what today’s tech-driven wars look like and how they are leading to changing strategies on the ground and in war rooms. As far as the general’s strident call for greater self-reliance goes, the Army Chief is bang on target even if the incessant delays in deliveries by domestic manufacturers are a ready cause of concern.
‘Be prepared for anything’ should be the slogan in these troubled times in which technological rivalry in AI and such is known to be driving battle plans too. And territory has taken on a different meaning when they are reachable by air.
