New Delhi: The biggest takeaway from “Operation Sindoor” against Pakistan in May 2025 was the sheer dominance India showed on the battlefield. This was made possible by a joint strike carried out by all three wings of the Indian armed forces — the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Officials say this coordinated effort points to the future of warfare. Modern battles will increasingly rely on joint operations, with the Army, Navy and Air Force striking together against enemy nations. The Indian armed forces say they are fully prepared for this shift.
The fourth edition of Tri-Services Future Warfare Course, conducted under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and coordinated by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), concluded on August 30, 2026 after four weeks of professional military education and deliberations at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. The course brought together officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force, along with representatives from government organisations, academia, industry and strategic think tanks to examine emerging trends shaping the future character of warfare. The curriculum covered geopolitical developments, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cyber and cognitive warfare, information warfare, autonomous systems, future operations across land, maritime, air and space domains, grey-zone operations, multi-domain operations and technology-enabled warfare. The participants engaged with senior military officers, policymakers, scientists, industry leaders and subject matter experts through lectures, brainstorming sessions, scenario-building exercises, cognitive warfare simulations, field visits and participant-led presentations.
Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani interacted with the participants, seeking their views on the course and encouraging suggestions on emerging areas and additional subjects that could be incorporated in future editions to further strengthen the relevance of the programme. The course also dwelt on out-of-the-box ideas for enhancing the operational and functional efficiency of the services in an integrated ecosystem.
The valedictory programme included the presentation of certificates to the participants by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) Air Marshal Tejinder Singh. Lt Gen SS Mahal (Retd), Managing Director Defence Research and Innovation Foundation, IIT Ropar presented ‘PG Diploma in Future Warfare’ to the attendees.
The fourth edition further reinforced the importance of joint learning, technological awareness, strategic foresight and operational preparedness in preparing military leaders for the evolving character of warfare. The fifth edition of the course is scheduled from November 16 till December 11, 2026.
