General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), delivered the Plenary Address at the 26th Doctrine and Strategy Seminar held at the Army War College (AWC), Mhow, on November 28, 2024. Themed “Need for Adaptive Doctrines and Operational Philosophy for the Indian Army,” the seminar brought together top military minds to deliberate on evolving strategies in modern warfare.
In his address, the COAS emphasized the urgency of military transformation to address the challenges posed by emerging conflict paradigms and technological advances in warfare. He outlined the continuum of warfare—Competition, Crisis, Confrontation, Conflict, and Combat—and stressed the importance of employing both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to tackle threats across the spectrum.
Drawing insights from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, General Dwivedi highlighted critical lessons in Combined Arms Operations and Civil-Military Integration, underscoring their relevance in modern battlefields. He also stressed the importance of cohesive land, maritime, and air strategies to safeguard India’s geo-strategic interests, advocating for flexible doctrines to address hybrid threats.
The COAS pointed out that the nature of modern warfare increasingly pursues political aims through non-military means, requiring a shift in operational philosophy. He emphasized the integration of advanced technologies, adaptive leadership, and the development of multi-domain operational capabilities to ensure the Indian Army’s readiness to meet future challenges.
The seminar, reflecting the theme “Transforming to Win Future Battles,” reinforced the Indian Army’s commitment to evolving its doctrines and operational strategies to remain agile and effective in the face of changing global security dynamics.
