Lieutenant General Devendra Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Army Training Command (ARTRAC), delivered an address on “Military Leadership in the 21st Century” at the Indian Naval War College on January 7, 2026.
The address was delivered to officers participating in NHCC-38, underscoring the growing emphasis on jointness and cross-service learning within India’s professional military education framework.
Leadership for 21st-Century Warfare
During his address, Lt Gen Sharma emphasised that success in contemporary and future warfare demands visionary, adaptive, resilient, and technology-savvy military leaders. He noted that the character of conflict is evolving rapidly, driven by advancements in technology, information dominance, and multi-domain operations.
The Army Commander highlighted that while emerging technologies and new doctrines are critical, the enduring qualities of character, courage, and empathy remain the foundation of effective military leadership. He stressed that these timeless values must now be seamlessly integrated with anticipatory leadership, technological acumen, and cognitive dominance to create innovative, agile, and decisive warfighting capabilities.
Trust, Jointness and Professional Growth
Lt Gen Sharma underlined that senior military leaders bear the responsibility of upholding the trust reposed in them by the nation, their troops, and civil leadership. He encouraged officers to remain intellectually curious, embrace change, and foster a culture of innovation while maintaining ethical leadership and human-centric command.
The interaction reinforced the importance of joint professional military education, enabling officers from different Services to share perspectives, learn from diverse operational experiences, and prepare collectively for integrated operations in complex security environments.
The lecture reflected ARTRAC’s continued focus on shaping future-ready military leaders capable of operating effectively across domains, Services, and alliances—while remaining anchored in the core values of the Indian Armed Forces.
