In a candid address at his alma mater in Rewa (Madhya Pradesh), Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, warned that the future of warfare is increasingly opaque and unpredictable. “You and I are completely clueless about what the future holds,” he declared, pointing to a rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Emerging Threats: From Land to Sky to Cyberspace
He outlined a wide spectrum of modern threats from border skirmishes and terrorism to space warfare, cyber operations and information warfare. According to him, the new wave of warfare transcends traditional battlefields. “Whether it’s on the border, terrorism, natural disasters, or cyber warfare… the new things that have started: space warfare, satellites, chemical, biological, radiological, and information warfare.”
A Subtle Dig at Global Unpredictability
In his remarks, Dwivedi took a veiled swipe at Donald Trump, suggesting even the former U.S. president is unsure of what lies ahead. “What is Trump doing today? I think even Trump doesn’t know what he is going to do tomorrow,” he said, to illustrate the broader strategic uncertainty.
Call for Whole-of-Nation Preparedness
The army chief emphasised that adapting to new-age threats requires more than just arms—intellectual, technological, moral and national-scale readiness. He stated that warfare today “flows through fibre cables, flickers on screens, circulates in wallets and ripples across our classrooms.”
Why This Matters
As India faces complex edge-scenarios across its land, maritime and cyber frontiers, Dwivedi’s comments carry weight. They reflect a strategic pivot in military doctrine: recognising multi-domain threats and moving beyond conventional conflict. Analysts believe this signals continued emphasis on cyber, electronic and information warfare capabilities. 9
What to Watch For
- Increased funding for cyber & space defence infrastructure.
- Greater integration between the army, navy and air force for tri-domain operations.
- Policy moves around data protection, information warfare and civilian resilience.
- Continued strain and messaging in India-Pakistan relations, with emphasis on precision strikes rather than mass mobilisation.
