Future Wars Will Be Defined by Drones, Cyber and Perception: Gen. Manoj Pande

In a wide-ranging conversation on BharatShakti Dialogues with Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale and his editorial team, former Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande (Retd.), outlined a clear roadmap for the Indian Army’s future capability development. Drawing lessons from Operation Sindoor, he emphasised the growing significance of information warfare and suggested the creation of a Central Coordinating Agency to manage perception and narrative battles more effectively.

Lessons from Operation Sindoor

Reflecting on the takeaways from Operation Sindoor, Gen. Pande said the exercise offered “a glimpse of what future warfare could look like.”

“There was extensive use of drones, counter-drone systems, and beyond-visual-range weapon systems, pointing towards a shift to non-contact, non-kinetic warfare,” he noted.

He added that the operation validated the effectiveness of indigenous weapon systems and underlined the need to accelerate capability development in cyber, electronic warfare, and drone warfare.

“Information operations, narratives, and perceptions no longer remain on the fringes. They are now central to our future war planning,” he said.

Building Future Capabilities

According to Gen. Pande, the next phase of military transformation must focus on four key domains: drones, counter-drone systems, cyber warfare, and electronic warfare.

“Drones are going to be the future. The more imaginative and creative we are in deploying them intelligently, the more decisive they will become,” he remarked.

Drawing from global conflicts like Ukraine and recent Indian operations, he highlighted how drones have expanded their roles in reconnaissance, targeting, and intelligence gathering.

He also stressed the potential of autonomous ground systems and unmanned platforms, capable of surveillance, reconnaissance, and even engagement without human intervention.

“All this,” he said, “will operate in the backdrop of AI, machine learning, and the Internet of Things – technologies that will define our future focus.”

Legacy Systems Still Relevant

While advocating modernisation, Gen. Pande cautioned against dismissing traditional military assets.

“Legacy systems will continue to be relevant. Future wars will not be fought by drones alone,” he said. “Tanks, artillery, and infantry systems will still play critical roles. High-tech systems must integrate with legacy platforms to ensure interoperability. The two will co-exist for some time.”

Information and Perception Warfare: The New Frontline

Addressing the growing importance of information warfare, Gen. Pande observed that global conflicts, from Russia-Ukraine to Israel-Gaza, have underscored the centrality of perception management and cognitive operations.

“Operation Sindoor too revealed that while we succeeded militarily, the global narrative did not fully reflect our achievements,” he said.

To bridge this gap, Gen. Pande proposed establishing a Central Coordinating Agency to streamline perception management across government departments, armed forces, and other stakeholders.

“If such an agency existed, we could achieve better coordination and synergy in information dissemination,” he said. “Like military operations, we must have pre-prepared communication strategies for different contingencies, rather than responding reactively.”

He also underlined the need to engage more effectively with the media, including digital and social platforms.

“Influencers and online media have immense reach and impact. We must proactively engage them as part of a whole-of-nation approach,” Gen. Pande said. “Media and communication are not auxiliary – they are operational enablers in modern conflict.”

Team BharatShakti