We're seeing teasers for future wars: Chief of Army

India is seeing the beginnings of future battles, and its adversaries will keep working to achieve their strategic objectives, Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane said on February 3 while discussing national security threats posed by China and Pakistan.

In an online lecture, he stated that India faces "unique, serious, and multi-domain" security problems, and that recent events on the northern border have amply demonstrated the need for ready and effective soldiers. 

The Chief of Army Staff, without identifying China or Pakistan, stated that disputed boundaries with nuclear-capable neighbours, combined with state-sponsored proxy war, were straining the security infrastructure and resources.

"Future conflict trailers are being shown to us. On the information battlefield, in networks, and in cyberspace, these are played out every day. They're also being used near active and disturbed borders "he stated 

"Based on these trailers, we can now imagine the battlefield shapes of the future. You can see the reality of today if you look around "he stated

The Army Chief stated that the recent events on the country's northern frontiers have amply demonstrated the need for ready and capable forces with an optimal component of boots on the ground backed by modern technology in order to maintain the country's sovereignty and integrity. 

"Our adversary will continue to deploy grey zone actions in the political, military, and economic sectors in a collusive manner to achieve their strategic aims...sort of combat," he warned. 

"The events of 2020 have highlighted the range of security threats across all areas, focusing attention on non-contact and grey zone warfare. We need to improve our skills in both non-contact and contact warfare modalities "He was referring to the conflict in eastern Ladakh.

He also noted that some countries are undermining globally accepted norms and the rules-based system, with a veiled reference to China. 

He claimed that this has presented itself in a variety of ways, including aggression and opportunistic efforts to disrupt the "status quo" while maintaining the threshold below all-out conflict. 

The events in Afghanistan, according to Gen. Naravane, have brought the employment of proxies and non-state actors to a decisive effect once again.

"These actors live on local settings," he said, "exploiting low-cost choices to devastating effect and creating situations that impede the full use of advanced capabilities available to states."

He further stated that the process of theaterisation, which involves the merging of three services, is already underway and that the Indian Army is fully committed to the transformation. 

The Army is working on reforming, rebalancing, and reorienting its forces, according to Gen Naravane, and the process has already begun. 

"We are consolidating our operational experiences to these adjustments," he said, adding that "this will continue a work in progress."

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