Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday stated that the world is in the age of Grey Zone and Hybrid warfare where cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, and economic warfare have become tools that can achieve politico-military aims without a single shot being fired. Urging the officers of the Indian Armed Forces to operate jointly and remain future-ready in today’s ever-evolving multi-domain environment, Singh dubbed cyber, space, and information warfare as potent as conventional operations.
The defence minister was addressing the Armed Forces officers of India and friendly countries during the Convocation Ceremony of the 80th Staff Course of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, Tamil Nadu.
Speaking about global geopolitics, Singh said that in today’s age, it is being redefined by three key metrics: a major pivot towards prioritising national security, a technological tsunami sweeping the global landscape, and accelerating innovation.
Highlighting that Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies are revolutionising deterrence and war-fighting in critical ways, Singh termed the power of technological innovation in combat theatres as breathtaking. “In the Ukraine-Russia conflict, drones have virtually emerged as a new arm, if not a transformative science. The majority of losses of soldiers and equipment have been attributed neither to traditional artillery nor to armour but to drones. Similarly, space capacities in the Low Earth Orbit are transforming military intelligence, persistent surveillance, positioning, targeting and communications, thus taking combat to a new high,” he said.
He added that India faces persistent threats along its borders, which are further compounded by the challenge of proxy war and terrorism emanating from its neighbourhood. The defence minister also spoke of the impact of the conflict in West Asia and the geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific on the overall security calculus, in addition to non-traditional security threats such as natural disasters and climate change.
“Lessons of the ongoing conflicts teach us that building a resilient, indigenous, and future-ready defence technological & manufacturing ecosystem is not an option, but a strategic necessity. There is a need to develop low-cost high-tech solutions and enhance the fighting capability of the Armed Forces. Our forces must not only keep pace with technological changes, but also lead them,” he said.
Singh exhorted the officers to focus on five ‘A’s – Awareness, Ability, Adaptability, Agility and Ambassadors – to tackle future challenges. “As warfighters and protectors of national security, you need to remain aware of the environment and its implications. You must acquire the ability and skill set required by future leaders. You must imbibe adaptability and agility as key virtues. The battlefield of tomorrow will require leaders who can adapt to unforeseen circumstances, leverage technology to their advantage and come out with innovative solutions. You must become Ambassadors of your respective Armed Forces. Be an ambassador of change and the perfect role model amongst the society at large,” he added.