Rajnath Singh to release doctrine on Friday; framework to address evolving nature of warfare and future conflicts

The Indian Army will have a new land warfare doctrine that seeks to recalibrate its combat readiness in response to the rapidly changing dynamics of global conflict.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will release the doctrine on Friday, the last day of the Army’s premier decision-making forum, the biannual Army Commanders’ Conference.

The three-day conference, chaired by Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, opened in the national capital on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday, “The doctrine will provide an overarching framework to prepare the Indian Army to meet the challenges posed by the evolving character of warfare and future conflicts.”

It is designed as a broad operational and strategic framework that will cover the evolution of warfare, especially after Operation Sindoor in May last year, when drones played a major role.

Beyond the release of the doctrine, the conference will feature addresses and panel sessions by key national security leaders, including the Navy Chief and the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), among others.

Discussions at the conference will cover cross-domain security issues, inter-service synergy and digital transformation within defence infrastructure. It will bring together the top echelons of military leadership to deliberate on emerging security challenges, operational readiness, force modernisation and long-term transformation strategies.

The conference aims to chart a clear path towards a technologically advanced, agile and future-ready fighting force capable of navigating complex modern battlefields.

The Defence Minister will also unveil the annual United Nations Journal and present honours to Indian Army personnel who demonstrated exemplary service, professionalism and dedication while serving on international peacekeeping missions under the UN flag.

The Army Chief will also confer special awards for Green Military Stations and Aviation Flight Safety, recognising units that have excelled in eco-friendly resource management and military aviation security.