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This focused effort aims at creating a credible blue-water-capable navy and an air force
with continental reach, empowering India to assert its sovereignty not only in the Indian
Ocean Region but also beyond. Beyond safeguarding Sea Lanes of Communications
(SLoC), the armed forces are poised to extend their role to protect India’s economic
interests in distant lands. In this joint endeavour, the Indian Army, particularly the
infantry, will play a pivotal role, taking centre stage in addressing threats across the
entire spectrum of conflicts beyond the year 2030.
The geopolitical landscape of the 21st century is evolving towards multipolarity, with
India and China emerging as key players, steering the world into the Asian age as the
fastest-growing economies. As these nations transition from developing to developed
status, a substantial demand is created for natural resources, serving as the catalysts
for economic prowess. In the quest for securing these resources, both countries have
expanded their reach beyond territorial boundaries, venturing into the unexplored
realms of the African continent, the remote expanses of Central Asia and the disputed
territories of South-East Asia.
Looking ahead, India’s national interests are poised to transcend traditional territorial
confines, extending into non-territorial domain. The rise of China, coupled with its robust
armed forces modernisation efforts against the backdrop of disputed borders with India
and the challenges posed by a troubled Pakistani state, presents a formidable and
ongoing challenge. The future of warfare is anticipated to be asymmetric and hybrid in
nature, further complicated by the complexities of an extended neighbourhood. As India
navigates these geopolitical intricacies, securing its interests becomes a multifaceted
endeavour requiring strategic foresight and adaptability.
Anticipating the dynamics of future battles, it can be said that they will be characterised
by brevity, fluidity, intensity and rapidity. The scale of forces involved may vary—ranging
from large deployments to specialized operations executed by a select group of highly
skilled soldiers. Advanced technologies will play a pivotal role and operational plans will
seamlessly incorporate diverse terrains and weather conditions.
The conventional linear battlefield will give way to combat situations marked by a 360-
degree threat environment, requiring forces to be agile and adaptable. Future battles
are poised to be network-centric, leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including new
high-tech weaponry; nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) arsenal; and the
involvement of non-state actors. The nature of warfare is expected to be hybrid,
spanning the full spectrum of conflict and will prioritize the effects achieved rather than
the sheer massing of forces.
CAPABILITY TO BE THREATENED?
To meet these diverse challenges, the future structure of infantry formations and units
must be characterized by responsiveness and effectiveness. Infantry divisions, brigades
and battalions of the future need to adopt flexible organisational frameworks that
facilitate grouping and regrouping according to operational requirements. The
envisioned force must embody a versatile combination of capabilities, equipped with
lethal, agile, adaptable and responsive technologies and weaponry. This adaptability will
be crucial in addressing the evolving nature of threats and missions anticipated in the
years beyond 2030.
The current paradigm of Infantry divisions in the Indian Army, characterised by fixed
formations and units, is poised to undergo a significant transformation. The evolving
nature of future battlefields necessitates a shift towards modular structures, turning
Infantry divisions into agile and adaptable plug-and-play formations. In this new
approach, divisions will be configured for specific missions, assigned a tailored
combination of brigades and battalions with the requisite capabilities.
The envisioned virtues of modern infantry weapons systems prioritise such attributes as
light weight, modularity, lower mean time between repairs and failures (MTBR & MTBF),
long range with high accuracy and desired lethality. Moreover, their ability to operate
effectively in a network-centric and electronic warfare environment across the entire
spectrum of conflict is deemed crucial as a decisive factor in battles.
Several futuristic trends in infantry weapons systems align with these desired attributes.
Examples include SCAR-Light multiple-caliber assault rifles; the Objective Individual
Combat Weapon (OICW) XM-25 featuring microchip-embedded explosive rounds for
precise detonation; Metal Storm’s 36-barrelled stacked projectile machine gun; Corner
Shot sideways-firing grenade launchers; disposable magazine-fed mortars with smart
projectiles; Next-generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) offering lightweight
shoulder-fired anti-tank capabilities with Predicted Line of Sight (PLoS) and Over the
Top Attack (OTA) and sniper rifles with extended ranges and self-correcting systems
based on advanced sensors. These innovations underscore a concerted effort to equip
infantry with cutting-edge technology, enhancing their firepower, adaptability and
effectiveness in diverse combat scenarios.
Improving inter-operability both within the country and between the armed
forces in the region is crucial. This necessitates increased military-to-
military interactions at strategic, operational and tactical levels with
friendly forces in the region
SO, WHAT’S THE BOTTOMLINE?
Improving interoperability both within the country and between the armed forces in the
region is crucial. This necessitates increased military-to-military interactions at strategic,
operational and tactical levels with friendly forces in the region. It is essential to
recognise that, in the current and potential future global multipolar order, the dynamics
between military and economic power have shifted.
In the past, military power held paramount importance, while economic power was
considered a luxury. However, today, economic power takes precedence and military
power is essential to safeguard and assert that economic influence. The infantry’s
prominence in these endeavours reflects the changing nature of global power dynamics
and the strategic imperative of safeguarding economic interests in diverse and dynamic
regions.