Recent conflicts have confirmed that the character of warfare is changing rapidly, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi told NDTV’s Senior Executive Editor Aditya Raj Kaul, underscoring that Operation Sindoor, India’s counterattack in response to terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam, demonstrated that future success will depend on the ability to fuse intelligence, sensors, shooters, networks and commanders into a faster and more responsive operational system.
Technology cannot remain at the margins or only at higher headquarters, the Army chief, who retires tomorrow, said. He stressed that if doctrine moves too slowly, technology will outrun organisations.
On the boundary row with China, the Army Chief said renewed diplomatic and military engagements over the last year have helped reduce tensions, address routine border management issues and build a measure of mutual confidence.
“As Chief, Operation Sindoor will remain one of the most significant moments of my service. It tested readiness, jointness, precision, restraint and national resolve. It also reaffirmed my belief that the Indian soldier, when backed by clear intent, sound planning and national will, can deliver decisive outcomes in the most demanding circumstances,” the Army Chief said.
Here are edited excerpts from the interview:
Q) Operation Sindoor stands as perhaps the most consequential military action by India since Kargil, and it unfolded on your watch. As you prepare to demit office, how do you assess the operation’s strategic outcomes and what enduring lessons does it offer India’s military on new-age warfare, precision strikes, and the grammar of escalation management in the nuclear neighbourhood?
A) Operation Sindoor must be seen as a clear demonstration of India’s resolve, capability and restraint. It was a calibrated military response to terrorism, executed with precision and purpose. The message was unambiguous: any act of terrorism will invite a decisive response, and there will be no distinction between terrorists and those who sponsor or enable them.
The strategic outcome was that India established a new normal in its response to terrorism. The operation demonstrated that national will, credible intelligence, precision targeting, joint planning and calibrated escalation control can come together to deliver decisive effects without crossing the threshold into uncontrolled conflict. It also showed that nuclear rhetoric cannot be used as a shield for terrorism.
From a military perspective, Operation Sindoor reinforced the importance of multi-domain integration. Ground intelligence, surveillance, cyber and electronic warfare inputs, air power, information management and strategic signalling worked as mutually enabling elements. It was not merely a kinetic operation. It was a coordinated national response in which precision, speed, information discipline and escalation awareness were all equally important.
The enduring lessons emerging from ongoing conflicts worldwide is that future conflicts may be long and enduring. However, Operation Sindoor demonstrated that there is also a high possibility of conflicts being short, intense, technology-driven fought under constant information scrutiny. Another key lesson is that precision strikes must be backed by credible intelligence, resilient networks, integrated command systems and strong political-military clarity. An equally important aspect is the escalation management. India exhibited the ability to act firmly, communicate clearly, retain control of the ladder and deny the adversary the space to manipulate the narrative.
Q) Operation Sindoor was described as India’s first truly joint operation of its scale. How effectively did the Army, Air Force, and Navy operate as a unified force? And given the continuing military alignment between China and Pakistan, how confident are you that India’s integrated theatre commands, still a work in progress, are ready to handle a simultaneous two-front contingency?
A) Operation Sindoor demonstrated the value of jointness in a very clear manner. It was not an operation in which any one Service acted in isolation. Ground intelligence, surveillance inputs, cyber and electronic warfare support, air power, information management and strategic signalling worked as mutually enabling elements. The Services operated with a common purpose, shared situational awareness and clear political-military direction. That unity of effort was central to the operational outcome.
Jointness cannot be built after a crisis begins. It is the result of years of planning, exercises, doctrinal work, inter-Service understanding and operational coordination. The response during Operation Sindoor reflected that preparation. It showed that when sensors, shooters, commanders and communication networks are aligned, the armed forces can compress decision cycles, apply force with precision and manage escalation with confidence.
On the larger question of a coordinated two-front challenge, I would describe it as a two-and-a-half front challenge. We must remain prepared for simultaneous threats along the Northern and Western Borders while also retaining the ability to deal with internal security challenges, proxy threats and grey-zone activities. This reality is well recognised, and the Indian Army remains fully prepared to meet such contingencies without dilution of focus.
Theaterisation is part of this larger journey. Since the creation of the post of CDS, substantial groundwork has been done in joint planning, command and control, areas of responsibility, logistics, communications, doctrine, training and HR policies. Progress has also been made in joint exercises, common training modules, cross-posting of officers, joint capability development, common qualitative requirements and shared logistics and maintenance infrastructure. The proposal for theaterisation has been moved to the government for approval. A reform of this scale has to be operationally sound, legally supported, administratively workable and future-ready.
Q) More than a year after the Pahalgam massacre and Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army’s grip over the country’s strategic direction appears as firm as ever. Do you believe the deep state in Rawalpindi is structurally incapable of choosing peace with India? And what does that mean for the long-term security calculus in Jammu & Kashmir?
A) As military commanders, we assess the threat by what is seen on the ground – intent, capability, infrastructure and actions. It is a fact that infiltration attempts have come down; however, whether this trend will sustain cannot be assumed, particularly in view of past patterns. Operation Sindoor has punished the perpetrators and enablers of terror across the border, but history tells us that attempts at misadventure may be made again. That is precisely why Operation Sindoor has not culminated in our operational calculus. It remains underway in posture, preparedness and resolve. Any attempt to disturb peace or sponsor terror will be met with a firm, calibrated and decisive response.
In Jammu & Kashmir, our long-term security calculus rests on vigilance, intelligence-led operations and close coordination with CAPFs, Central agencies, Police and the civil administration. The violence parameters have shown significant improvement, local recruitment has reduced sharply and normal life has strengthened. The successful conduct of public activities, tourism, pilgrle and the resilience of the security grid.
At the same time, we remain clear-eyed about the threat. Attempts at infiltration, radicalisation, narco-terrorism, disinformation and use of technology by terror groups will continue to be watched and countered. The Army’s approach will remain people-centric, intelligence-driven and operationally firm.
Q) Operation Sindoor was a major test of India’s drive towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence. How did indigenous systems and capabilities perform, where do capability gaps still remain and how urgent is the need to strengthen the defence industrial base?
A) Operation Sindoor reinforced the importance of atmanirbharta in the most practical sense. In a crisis, the nation must be able to rely on its own systems, its own industrial base and its own ability to sustain operations. Indigenous systems performed exceedingly well during the operations. The operation demonstrated that indigenous capabilities are no longer peripheral. They are becoming central to surveillance, communications, electronic warfare, precision engagement, information management and operational decision-making.
At the same time, we must remain realistic.
Modern warfare is evolving very rapidly, and gaps will continue to emerge in areas such as long-range precision fires, advanced munitions, drones and counter-UAS, electronic warfare, resilient communications, AI-enabled decision systems, autonomous platforms and battlefield transparency management. These are not static requirements. The adversary adapts, technology changes and the Army must therefore remain ahead of the curve.
The Prime Minister’s guidance of JAI, meaning Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation, is being translated into credible warfighting capability for a multi-domain environment. We need Indian solutions for Indian challenges because our terrain, threat matrix and operational demands are unique. Through the Integrated Capability Development Plan and Annual Acquisition Plan, we are aligning operational requirements with indigenous design and development capacity and available resources.
The user, developer and manufacturer must move together from problem statement to prototype, from trials to production and from production to field absorption. Our engagement with DRDO, DPSUs, private industry, MSMEs, start-ups and academia is intended to ensure faster trials, better hand-holding and quicker induction. Atmanirbharta is not merely an economic objective. It is now a core requirement of national security and future warfighting.
Q) Operation Sindoor, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the war in West Asia have fundamentally altered the military’s understanding of future warfare from swarms, loitering munitions, AI-enabled targeting, electronic warfare to counter-drone grids. How is the Indian Army institutionalising these lessons, and are we building doctrine fast enough to keep pace with the technology?
A) Recent conflicts have confirmed that the character of warfare is changing rapidly. Drones, loitering munitions, precision fires, electronic warfare, cyber effects, space-based support and information operations are no longer separate capabilities. They are now part of one integrated battlespace. Operation Sindoor also demonstrated that future success will depend on the ability to fuse intelligence, sensors, shooters, networks and commanders into a faster and more responsive operational system.
For the Indian Army, the lesson is clear: technology cannot remain at the margins or only at higher headquarters. It must reach formations, units and soldiers at the cutting edge. That is why we are progressing new structures such as Rudra Brigades, Bhairav Battalions, Ashni Drone Platoons, Shaktibaan Regiments and Divyastra Batteries. These are intended to improve agility, surveillance, precision, reach and technology-enabled battlefield awareness.
We are also institutionalising lessons through training, wargaming, capability development and doctrinal refinement. Multi-domain operations, counter-UAS, electronic warfare, cyber-electromagnetic activities, information warfare and data-centric command systems are being incorporated into our thinking. The focus is to move from domain silos to domain fusion, where land, air, cyber, space, the electromagnetic spectrum and the cognitive domain operate in concert.
Doctrine must remain dynamic. If doctrine moves too slowly, technology will outrun organisations. If technology is inducted without doctrine, it will not deliver its full battlefield value. Therefore, we are aligning doctrinal development with field trials, operational feedback, emerging threats and indigenous capability development. The aim is not merely to acquire new systems and technology, but to absorb them into tactics, training, structures and command processes.
At the same time, while technology is the greatest enabler, there can be no substitute for boots on the ground. India’s conflict scenarios remain land-centric on both the Northern and Western Fronts, and outcomes will ultimately be judged through the lens of territorial balance and operational advantage. Therefore, our effort is to create technology-enabled soldiers, synced together and networked to fight as a cohesive outfit. The soldier of the future will be technology-enabled, but not technology-dependent. The framework is simple: Smart Boots on the Ground, Eagle on the Arm, Ears on the Net, Eyes in the Sky and Mind in the Cloud.
Q) You recently reviewed operational readiness in Ladakh. While diplomatic disengagement at certain friction points has been announced, military deployments on both sides remain elevated. Has the situation truly stabilised, or are we in a strategic pause that China could disrupt at a time of its choosing?
A) The situation along the Northern Borders is stable but sensitive. The agreements on disengagement have enhanced stability on the ground and both sides are now showing greater responsiveness and sensitivity to each other’s concerns. Renewed diplomatic and military engagements over the last year have helped reduce tensions, address routine border management issues and build a measure of mutual confidence.
There are also positive indicators of gradual normalisation, including the setting up of an Experts Group under WMCC for exploring options for boundary delimitation, resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights, consensus on border trade through three passes and visa relaxation measures. At the military level, more than 1100 ground-level interactions take place annually between the two sides, helping resolve local issues through established mechanisms such as hotlines, flag meetings and commander-level engagements.
At the same time, stability does not mean complacency. The Indian Army continues to maintain a robust deployment posture to deter any threat and respond to any contingency. Infrastructure development, surveillance, logistics, mobility and capability enhancement along the Northern Borders remain priority areas. We are prepared across the full spectrum, from routine border management to any operational challenge.
The Army’s long-term strategy is clear: maintain peace and tranquillity, resolve local issues through dialogue and preserve stability, while ensuring that our preparedness, posture and infrastructure remain credible and effective.
Q) You’ve witnessed the arc of change in Jammu & Kashmir firsthand, first as Northern Army Commander and then as COAS, spanning the abrogation of Article 370, elections, and now Operation Sindoor. Beyond the political and developmental optics, what is your honest assessment of where things stand on radicalisation, cross-border infiltration, and the residual terror ecosystem?
A) Jammu & Kashmir has undergone a significant and visible transformation. The change is not only political or developmental. It is reflected in the security environment, public confidence, reduced violence levels and the ability of normal life to continue without disruption. Democratic processes, tourism, pilgrimage, public activities and developmental initiatives have all strengthened the larger ecosystem of stability.
From a security perspective, the indicators are encouraging. Violence parameters are at a low level, local recruitment into terror ranks has reduced sharply and the active local terrorist footprint is now very limited. The absence of organised stone pelting and bandh culture reflects an important shift in public behaviour and confidence. This has been achieved through sustained security operations, better intelligence, close coordination among the Army, CAPFs, Jammu & Kashmir Police, intelligence agencies and the civil administration and greater support from the people.
At the same time, we must remain realistic. The residual terror ecosystem has not disappeared. Attempts at cross-border infiltration, revival of local networks, radicalisation, narco-terrorism, use of drones, encrypted communication and disinformation will continue to be used by inimical elements. The adversary’s effort is to keep terrorism alive at a manageable threshold and create incidents that disturb normalcy and public confidence.
Our approach is therefore clear. We will remain intelligence-driven, people-centric and operationally firm. Counter-terror operations will continue with precision and restraint, while the larger effort will be to deny space to radicalisation, disrupt support networks and prevent infiltration from translating into violence. Operation Sindoor reinforced the message that terrorism will invite a firm response, but long-term stability in Jammu & Kashmir will come from sustained vigilance, public trust and relentless pressure on the terror ecosystem.
Q) Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir remains a zone of systematic repression, forced displacement, silencing of dissent, and the exploitation of its resources and people. The Gilgit-Baltistan question is increasingly strategic given Chinese infrastructure presence there. As Army Chief, how do you view PoK, as a humanitarian concern, a legal position India must assert, or an active strategic variable in India’s security calculus especially when Pakistan continues to use it as a terror launchpad?
A) Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India. That is our clear and consistent national position. From a military perspective, our immediate concern is the continued use of areas under Pakistan’s illegal occupation for sustaining terror infrastructure, training, launching and supporting infiltration into Jammu & Kashmir. This remains a live security challenge and is factored into our operational planning and preparedness.
The events leading to Operation Sindoor again reinforced that terrorism cannot be viewed in isolation from the ecosystem that enables it. Terror infrastructure, launch pads, handlers, financing, propaganda and cross-border support mechanisms are all part of the same chain. India’s position is clear: there will be no distinction between terrorists and those who sponsor, support or enable them. Any act of terrorism will invite a firm and calibrated response.
We are also conscious of the wider strategic significance of the region, including external military and infrastructure activity that has implications for India’s security. The Indian Army monitors all such developments closely and remains prepared to respond to any contingency. Our deployment, surveillance, intelligence grid and operational readiness are maintained accordingly.
Q) The Agniveer scheme has been both celebrated as a transformative reform and critiqued for potentially diluting the Army’s battle-hardened ethos. With Agniveers now serving in active units, including in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, what is your frank assessment of the scheme, has it delivered on its promise, and should its terms be revised?
A) The Agnipath scheme should be viewed as a major manpower reform aimed at making the Army younger, fitter, more disciplined and future-ready. Initial feedback from operational units has been encouraging. Agniveers are adapting well to unit life, training standards and field requirements. In a changing battlefield, where soldiers must be physically robust as well as technology-aware, their ability to understand drones, surveillance systems, communication networks and modern battlefield tools is a positive contribution.
At the same time, the scheme remains an evolutionary process. The full cycle of the first batch is yet to be completed, and any final assessment must be based on experience, operational feedback and long-term performance. The current retention provision is 25 per cent. However, if field feedback, operational requirements and training efforts indicate the need for refinement at a later stage, the matter can be examined institutionally.
Our guiding principles will remain combat effectiveness, unit cohesion and continuity of trained manpower, especially in technical domains such as air defence, drones, counter-UAS, signals, surveillance and electronic warfare. These are areas where training investment and experience matter greatly.
Q) Across more than four decades, from counter-insurgency operations to high-altitude deployments, from peacekeeping missions to commanding the nation’s Army, which postings tested you most, shaped your leadership, and remain with you most vividly? Is there a moment, an operation, a decision, a conversation with a soldier, that you find yourself returning to when you look back at your 40+ years of tenure?
A) It is difficult to select one posting or one moment from more than four decades in uniform. Every appointment teaches you something, and every soldier you command leaves an imprint on you. I have been fortunate to serve across varied terrains and operational environments, from counter-insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir and the North East to the Western front, high-altitude areas, staff and instructional appointments and finally as the Chief of the Army Staff.
My command of 18 JAK RIF remains very close to my heart. A commanding officer learns the true meaning of leadership from his men. In difficult operational conditions, you understand that courage is not always dramatic. Sometimes it is quiet endurance, discipline, loyalty and the willingness of a soldier to do his duty without seeking recognition. Those lessons never leave you.
The North East also shaped me deeply. Commanding formations in Manipur and later serving as IGAR (East) reinforced the importance of patience, understanding people and respecting local sensitivities. Counter-insurgency is not only about eliminating threats. It is also about creating conditions in which normalcy and trust can return.
Northern Command was another defining responsibility. The operational complexity of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and the Northern Borders demands clarity, stamina and constant preparedness. It taught me that commanders must be calm under pressure, decisive when required and always conscious that every decision has both operational and human consequences.
As Chief, Operation Sindoor will remain one of the most significant moments of my service. It tested readiness, jointness, precision, restraint and national resolve. It also reaffirmed my belief that the Indian soldier, when backed by clear intent, sound planning and national will, can deliver decisive outcomes in the most demanding circumstances.
If there is one , whether on a mountain ridge, in a counter-terror grid or in the desert, alert, disciplined and confident. Conversations with such soldiers remind you why the Indian Army exists and what leadership finally means. Rank and appointment may change, but the bond between a commander and his soldier remains the centre of military life. That is what I will carry with me most vividly.
Q) History often judges Army Chiefs not only by the crises they manage, but by the institution they leave behind. As a Chief who would be remembered as the Chief who gave major push towards drones, technology absorption and future warfare capabilities, how do you assess the Army’s condition today in terms of modernisation and strategic readiness?
A) I would look at this not as an individual description, but as an institutional journey of the Indian Army. The Indian Army today is more confident, more technology-aware and more prepared for the changing character of warfare. Modernisation has moved beyond platform induction alone. We are now looking at capability development in an integrated manner, where doctrine, structures, technology, training and self-reliance move together.
Drones have become an important part of this transformation because recent conflicts have shown that they are no longer niche platforms. They can support surveillance, precision fires, logistics, communication relay and information operations. At the same time, hostile unmanned systems have made counter-UAS, electronic warfare, air defence, secure networks and data fusion frontline necessities. Our effort has been to ensure that drones are not treated as stand-alone equipment, but as part of a tiered, role-based and networked multi-domain ecosystem.
New structures such as Rudra Brigades, Bhairav Battalions, Ashni Drone Platoons, Shaktibaan Regiments and Divyastra Batteries are part of this transformation. They are intended to make the Indian Army more agile, precise, networked and responsive. The aim is to push technology closer to the cutting edge so that commanders and soldiers at every level are better informed and better equipped to act decisively.
Strategically, the Indian Army today is prepared across the full spectrum, from conventional threats and counter-terrorism to hybrid, non-contact and technology-driven warfare. Our aim is to build an Army that commands technology rather than merely operates it, remains human-centric and Atmanirbhar and is fully prepared for both the physical and virtual battlespace.
