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India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, on Friday said the prevailing global security environment bears striking similarities to the period preceding the Second World War, marked by uncertainty, instability and rapid shifts in power equations.
Addressing a lecture at Jawaharlal Nehru University on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, General Chauhan said the traditional distinctions between war and peace are increasingly eroding, while geopolitical and geo-economic considerations are now central to the nature of modern conflicts.
“Technology will determine both the duration and the outcome of wars,” the CDS said, warning that the pace of technological disruption is outstripping the ability of governments and military institutions to adapt. This mismatch, he noted, has increased the propensity to use force in an era where power is increasingly decisive.
The lecture focused on the evolving global security landscape, emerging domains of warfare, disruptive technologies, and contemporary strategies required to address these challenges.
Emphasising the need for self-reliance, General Chauhan said innovation for the armed forces must be rooted in indigenous defence manufacturing and research and development. He underlined that India’s security challenges are unique and cannot be addressed solely through imported doctrines.
“Western concepts and Western weapon systems will only introduce predictability into warfare,” he said, adding that India must draw inspiration from its own strategic culture to develop effective responses to future threats.
On the broader concept of national security, the CDS said it involves safeguarding the three core elements of a nation-state, its land, its people and its ideology.
Referring to recent operational experience, General Chauhan said that following Operation Sindoor, all three services are working towards a common framework to examine how warfare is likely to evolve and how India’s military must prepare for future conflicts.
Team BharatShakti
