Exclusive Interview/ General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff
In his first interview with a print publication, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi speaks on a range of issues, from Operation Sindoor and border relations with China to modernisation of the Army and the need for niche technologies in modern-day warfare. Excerpts:
Q/ There is a lot of discussion on a ‘new normal’ and the possibility of Sindoor 2.0.
A/ Operation Sindoor reflects a clear and confident evolution in India’s approach to counter terrorism. When people speak of a ‘new normal’ or speculate about Sindoor 2.0, the Army views it not as a slogan, but as a strategic signal of resolve. It signifies that India’s response to terrorism will be proactive, decisive and integrated, while remaining focused and non-escalatory in its execution.
Q/ What does it really embody?
A/ This approach rests on three firm principles. First, there is zero tolerance of terrorism. Second, talks and terror cannot go together. Third, any act of terror will be treated as an act of war. In that context, the Army will not differentiate between terrorists and those who sponsor terrorism.
Operation Sindoor underscores a shift from reactive responses to proactive measures, where threats are addressed at their source rather than being allowed to mature. Our responses will not be constrained by sabre rattling.
Q/ The situation along the northern borders remains sensitive. What steps are being taken to maintain deterrence, readiness and operational superiority?
A/ The situation is stable, but needs constant vigil. In 2024-2025, we have seen a significant thaw in the bilateral relationship, reflected in ground commander interactions on the northern borders. Both sides have become more responsive and more sensitive to each other’s concerns, and the process of disengagement has improved stability on ground.
Renewed engagements in 2025 through diplomatic and military channels have reduced tensions and helped build mutual confidence, supporting a gradual normalisation of relations. There are positive indicators such as the formulation of an experts group for boundary delimitation and a working group for border management; the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights; consensus on resuming trade through three border passes; and a visa relaxation scheme.
Q/ And at the military level?
A/ [There is] sustained engagement. There are more than 1,100 interactions a year at the ground level between both sides. These engagements, along with patrolling and other military activities, have also facilitated grazing and religious activities along the border.
From an operational standpoint, our roadmap is clear: maintain peace, resolve local issues through military-to-military engagement, sustain stability to enable progress through the expert groups, and maintain robust deployment to deter threats. In parallel, we remain focused on infrastructure and capability development to preserve readiness and operational superiority.
Q/ What are you doing to ensure peace and stability on the northeastern borders?
A/ India shares cooperative relationships with Bangladesh and Myanmar, shaped by geography and shared culture and history. Myanmar has been facing a protracted internal security situation since 2021 and this has security implications along the 1,643km Indo-Myanmar Border.
The India-Bangladesh border spans about 4,096km and traverses five Indian states. Its management is a cornerstone of India’s national security strategy, necessitating a whole-of-government approach. Bangladesh is undergoing a phase of political uncertainty with a heightened internal security situation.
The Army is closely watching developments in [both countries] in coordination with other agencies.
Besides this, the armies continue strong military-to-military engagements. These include regular communication with authorities, joint exercises, senior-level visits and training exchanges. These interactions enhance operational coordination, build trust and support effective response to security challenges.
Q/ The Army has declared 2023-2032 as the ‘Decade of Transformation’, alongside the defence ministry’s ‘Year of Reforms’ (2025). Could you decode these initiatives?
A/ To transform India into a developed nation by 2047, a critical prerequisite is Surakshit (safe) Bharat, which demands an integrated national security framework based on a whole-of-nation approach, led by the armed forces.
The Army has articulated its own Vision @2047: to transform into a modern, agile, adaptive, technology-enabled and self-reliant force, capable of deterring and winning wars... in synergy with the other services. Within this long-term framework, the ‘Decade of Transformation’ represents the phase of rapid acceleration. It is followed by consolidation from 2033 to 2037, and excellence from 2038 to 2047.
In this decade, the Army is pursuing a multi-pronged approach across five pillars: jointness and integration; force structuring; modernisation and technology infusion; systems, processes and functions; and human resource management. The defence ministry’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’ reinforced this momentum. As our transformation initiatives were already underway, the Army aligned the ministry’s nine focus areas with our five transformation pillars.
Q/ Could you give more details?
A/ In the past two years, the most significant shift has been from technology induction to technology absorption. Recognising that equipment alone does not confer advantage, we declared 2024-25 as the ‘Years of Technology Absorption’, focusing on embedding drones, sensors, precision strike systems, AI-enabled tools and indigenous solutions directly into operational structures. This required selective organisational restructuring and the raising of new combat and support entities.
Force structuring reforms have strengthened multi-domain capability through Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) and Rudra All-arms Brigades. New entities such as Rudra brigades, Bhairav battalions, Shaktibaan regiments, Divyastra batteries and Ashni drone platoons have enhanced surveillance, precision and lethality. These capabilities have been validated in recent operations and exercises.
To steer the ongoing transformation, we established the Future and Transformation Cell in September 2024. This has provided a dedicated mechanism to anticipate emerging war-fighting trends and technologies. Progress on jointness and integration—with the Navy, Air Force, CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces), civil administration and national agencies—has been reinforced by lessons from Operation Sindoor, including initiatives like drone defence committees in border areas.
The next logical step is to connect these capabilities across the force. Accordingly, 2026–27 will be the years of networking and data centricity.
Our objective is to transform the Army into a fully integrated force, where platforms, sensors, commanders and soldiers function as a single, coherent system. This transformation rests on three interlinked domains.
The first is data, which we now treat as a strategic resource. A unified data architecture will consolidate inputs from sensors, platforms, units and headquarters to create a common operational picture. Big data will enable indigenous AI development, while AI-enabled decision-support systems will compress decision cycles and support smarter execution of kill-chains (identifying, targeting and destroying enemy assets).
The second domain is networks. We are building secure, resilient and interoperable digital networks with reliable last-mile connectivity, capable of operating even in contested or degraded environments. AI-assisted network management, enhanced redundancy (backup systems) and quantum-resistant encryption (protection from attacks by powerful future computers) will prepare the Army for technological disruptions.
The third domain is institutional and workforce networking, which connects the human dimension. Greater internal integration, deeper jointness with the services, closer synergy with national agencies and structured involvement of veterans as mentors, advisers and crisis reserves will create strong force-multiplier effects. Collaboration with industry, academia and friendly nations will further enhance innovation, interoperability and strategic influence. This effort will be implemented through a structured two-year roadmap, divided into six-monthly objectives, each led by a three-star officer.
Q/ What is the current status of the theatre command initiative, and how is the Army integrating itself into this joint framework?
A/ The initiative is progressing through joint planning and coordinated implementation measures. Importantly, we are approaching theatre commands as joint war-fighting structures and not as a single service initiative. The Army is fully committed to this transformation and is an active partner in shaping it. In parallel, it is aligning internal structures to enable smooth integration when Theatre commands are notified.
Q/ What is the progress on the ground?
A/ We have begun rationalising formations, streamlining operational aspects and integrating logistics and communications architectures so that our formations can plug into the theatre framework without requiring rework from scratch.
Doctrine, training and HR are also shifting to a joint-first orientation. Our doctrines and training syllabi at institutions such as the Army War College and Defence Services Staff College have been reoriented towards joint planning, multi-domain operations and integrated logistics, while senior appointments are increasingly viewed as joint war-fighting billets that prepare officers for theatre responsibilities.
Q/ How does the Army assess the situation in Manipur?
A/ The Army is addressing the developments there through sustained vigilance, intelligence-led operations and close inter-agency coordination. Timely intervention during the initial phases of the clashes was critical in preventing large-scale violence and in providing a security blanket to stabilise the region.
The internal security situation in Manipur improved in 2025. President’s Rule was promulgated on February 12, 2025, facilitating better inter-agency coordination and a focused approach towards ending violence.
Q/ And at the Army’s operational level?
A/ Operationally, our role continues through intelligence-driven joint operations, proactive border security and people-centric initiatives in coordination with the state police and Central forces. The current focus is on recovering looted weapons, opening national highways and executing outreach programmes to build confidence among local communities.
Q/ You have said that indigenisation remains a central pillar of military modernisation. Can the Army fully transform while relying primarily on indigenous weapon systems, and is the Indian defence industry ready to meet these demands?
A/ Indigenisation is central to modernisation and the Army can transform while relying primarily on indigenous weapon systems. At the same time, we must balance immediate operational requirements with long-term goals of technology sovereignty and strategic autonomy. It is a phased approach.
Atmanirbharta is not a choice but a compulsion. Achieving it requires close collaboration between the troika of academia, industry and the military. Academia drives innovation and foundational research, industry incubates and scales these innovations into usable products, and the military provides operational context, validation and absorption. I am sure with the union of these three elements, indigenisation will translate into credible battlefield capability.
Q/ So what is the approach to atmanirbharta?
A/ It is nuanced. Where critical capabilities are required in the near term, selective imports, negotiated technology transfer and joint ventures remain important bridging mechanisms. Equally, we must use these pathways to absorb critical technologies and build indigenous depth.
Indigenous upgrades and integration on imported platforms reduce long-term dependency by progressively shifting key subsystems and capabilities into the national ecosystem. In ammunition, we have achieved indigenisation of 159 of 175 types of ammunition, which is above 90 per cent.
On whether industry is ready, the direction is positive and capability is expanding steadily. Government initiatives such as TDF (Technology Development Fund) and iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) are promoting innovation and encouraging startups, while partnerships and R&D are accelerating technology absorption.
Q/ Developing niche technologies for the military is now a buzzword.
A/ The focus now is on developing niche technologies indigenously, with emphasis on armoured fighting vehicles, autonomous systems, counter UAS (unmanned aircraft systems), AI and communications. Disruptive technologies must be owned, so domains such as AI, quantum, space, communications, cyber, integrated networks, stealth, precision-guided munitions and sensors will remain priority areas for indigenisation.
Q/ What are the lessons learnt from the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia?
A/ We have studied both closely. These conflicts have not altered the fundamentals of the Army doctrine, which remain rooted in India’s unique geography, threat matrix and civilisational values. What they have done is validate our emphasis on jointness, technology-enabled operations and information dominance.
The lessons also inspire us to move faster in integrating these into our concepts, structures, training and capability development. Many of these elements were validated during the 88-hour Operation Sindoor and are being further refined. From a technology and operations perspective, the key lesson is a shift from equipment-centric thinking to a system of systems approach, where sensors, shooters and shields operate as one.
The land continues to maintain the currency of victory, which has further been complicated by the enhanced density of drones and electronic warfare. The signature management, dispersion, camouflage and redundancy, alongside hardened communications and resilient command and control, are important.
Control of airspace immediately above the land is crucial for land forces. Accordingly, our tactical doctrines, field craft and training manuals are being updated, with organisational adaptations such as Ashni platoons, Divyastra batteries and Agnibaan regiments reflecting these lessons.
Self-reliance in defence technology and production is essential for endurance in prolonged military operations. We are also accelerating partnerships with industry, startups and the DRDO to enable faster technology insertion and rapid refinement.
Q/ How important is information warfare in the entire scheme of things?
A/ Lessons learnt in information warfare are significant. These conflicts demonstrate that narratives move faster than firepower and can shape perceptions in and beyond the battlefield. We are therefore incorporating lessons on strategic communication, cyber defence, misinformation and network security into training and SOPs, with emphasis on national resilience and coordinated messaging.
In essence, we are learning from every battlefield and adapting with speed, while remaining anchored in our own operational realities.