‘Long peace is declining’: COAS flags global volatility, pushes for rapid military reform

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Thursday called for accelerated transformation of the Indian Army to meet the demands of an increasingly volatile global security environment.

Addressing the gathering on the opening day of Chanakya Defence Dialogue (CDD) 2025, General Dwivedi said that the world is transitioning through a turbulent phase where major powers are “continuously jostling and competing.”

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“The world has moved from the Cold War’s bipolarity, through a brief unipolar moment, into an uncertain and fractured order,” he said. “With over 50 ongoing conflicts, to say we live in turbulent times may actually be an understatement.”

He stressed that as global geopolitics tilts toward deterrence, national security, and warfighting preparedness, India must ask itself a fundamental question: How must the Indian military transform to remain decisive and ready?

The Army Chief detailed a long-term transformation blueprint designed to build an integrated and technologically advanced force. He also outlined four key “springboards” that will propel the Indian Army’s next phase of transformation, including Deepening Self-Reliance, Accelerated Innovation, Adaptation and Ecosystem Reform, and Military–Civil Fusion.

Highlighting the need for “deep cross-domain synergy,” he said warfighting capability development must be a multi-agency and multimodal effort.
“The military is shedding inhibitions, opening ranges, funding start-ups and joining national technology missions,” he said. He stressed that academia, industry and the military must collaborate to build long-term global partnerships.

Based on the theme “Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat,” the CDD is being organised by the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).

Speaking about the conclave, the COAS said that CDD’s first edition was instituted in 2023 by his predecessor, General Manoj Pandey, after he declared the year of transformation for the Indian Army.

“It underscored that genuine transformation cannot be driven in isolation, as it demands great understanding and cooperation with all stakeholders across the technology spectrum. Since then, this forum has grown in scale, depth, and influence, drawing some of the finest strategic minds from India and abroad,” he added.