Future wars could involve “a computer nerd sitting in one part of the country and controlling the entire thing”, India's Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh said on Friday.
The senior military officer made the statement while speaking primarily about Operation Sindoor, where he said India was fighting two, even three, adversaries on one border during the recent conflict with Islamabad.
"So we saw Pakistan on one side. But the adversaries were two and, if I would say actually four, or three actually. So, Pakistan was the front face. We had China providing all possible support," Singh said, later mentioning Turkey as another backend ally of Pakistan. He was speaking at the 'New Age Military Technologies' event organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
He emphasised the need to invest in research and development to in the defence sector. He also warned that India needed to be prepared for “fifth-generation warfare”, a tearm used for conflict technique that involves the use of remote tools like disinformation, misinformation and cyberattacks.
{{/usCountry}}He emphasised the need to invest in research and development to in the defence sector. He also warned that India needed to be prepared for “fifth-generation warfare”, a tearm used for conflict technique that involves the use of remote tools like disinformation, misinformation and cyberattacks.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: ‘A borrowed knife’: How China used Pak during Op Sindoor, explains Indian Army deputy chief
Speaking at the event, Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla, Master General Sustenance of the Indian Army, said wars have become increasingly intense and complex due to evolving geopolitical dynamics and rapid technological advancements, adding that these advancements are transforming war-fighting practices.
Also speaking at the event, Jalaj Dani, Chair of FICCI Drones Committee, said that ₹1 lakh crore RDI Scheme marks a landmark moment for India’s technology ecosystem. Dani was responding to the cabinet clearing ₹1 lakh crore outlay for the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme on Tuesday.
"For sunrise sectors like robotics and drones, where innovation fuels both scale and sovereignty, these strategic sector covered in the scheme are nation builders, thus this initiative should be catalytic. By enabling deep-tech R&D and incentivising industry-led breakthroughs, it lays the foundation for India to become a global robotics & drone hub," he said.
Meanwhile, Ashish Kansal, Co-Chair of FICCI Defence and Homeland Security Committee, said the country's defence industry stands at the cusp of a technological transformation.
Ashok Atluri, Co-Chair of FICCI Defence and Homeland Security Committee, said that Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) companies, which are self-funded with advanced technologies are national strategic assets and need to be protected, nurtured, and encouraged.