Scope of war has broadened in new era: CDS
CDS Gen Anil Chauhan emphasizes the evolving nature of warfare, highlighting modern conflicts' hybrid nature, tech advancements, and China's military challenges.
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan, said that in the current era, the battlefield has broadened significantly.
He was speaking in Techkriti, the annual technical festival of IIT Kanpur.
Unlike past wars, where everything occurred at a single location, the advent of railways and telegraph in the 19th Century had already altered the nature of conflicts. With the advent of advanced weaponry, wars are no longer confined to land and sea but now extend into the depths of the oceans, he said.
Recently, China gained the ability to interfere with submarine cables in the sea, further emphasising the evolving nature of warfare.
Gen Chauhan pointed out that ongoing conflicts such as the US confrontation with Chinese balloons in its airspace, as well as wars in Ukraine and West Asia, affirm that it is now possible to strike the enemy from distances of over 1,500 km.
He noted that China’s military modernisation is progressing rapidly, though he stressed that warfare is not solely dependent on technology. He stressed that it also requires courage, determination, and leadership. The level of a military’s training plays a significant role in determining its success.
The CDS further highlighted corruption within China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). “You must have heard a lot about China, but not as much about corruption in the PLA,” he remarked. He pointed out that China had removed two defence ministers and two commanders from its Strategic Rocket Force, signifying internal challenges within their military structure.
Gen Chauhan also discussed the unique nature of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Unlike many other modern-day wars, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is being fought with technologies of the future. Both sides are rapidly developing and deploying advanced weaponry, which is altering conventional military strategies.
He noted that while India was once heavily dependent on arms imports, it is now moving towards indigenisation of defence technologies. “We may keep stock levels low, but in the event of conflict, we must possess the ability for rapid production,” he stated.
Gen Chauhan also said that modern wars are increasingly hybrid in nature, with non-state actors, mercenaries, contractors, terrorists, and even internet users playing a role. In the past, wars were fought solely between soldiers, but today’s conflicts involve a much wider array of participants.