CDS Calls for Shift to ‘Intelligent Warfare’ at MITRA Seminar

The CDS described the current global security environment as entering a “Third Revolution in Military Affairs,” marked by what he termed Convergence Warfare.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has called for a doctrinal transformation of the Indian Armed Forces, urging a shift from net-centric warfare to “Intelligent Warfare” and from Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) to All Realm All Domain Operations (ARADO).

Addressing the annual seminar at the College of Defence Management (CDM) in Secunderabad on February 24, 2026, the CDS said modern conflict has expanded beyond physical battlefields into synthetic and cognitive domains, demanding a new operational paradigm.

From MDO to ARADO

In his keynote address at the seminar themed “Multi-Domain Integrated Technologically-Empowered Resilient Armed Forces (MITRA),” General Chauhan underscored the need for the Armed Forces to evolve in response to rapidly changing warfare dynamics.

“As warfare expands from the physical to the synthetic and cognitive realms, the Indian Armed Forces need to transition from net-centric operations toward Intelligent Warfare and move beyond Multi-Domain Operations to All Realm All Domain Operations,” he said.

ARADO, he indicated, would require seamless integration across land, sea, air, cyber, space and information domains — combining kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities in real time.

The Third Revolution in Military Affairs

The CDS described the current global security environment as entering a “Third Revolution in Military Affairs,” marked by what he termed Convergence Warfare.

This model fuses:

• Contact and non-contact warfare

• Kinetic and non-kinetic operations

• Conventional and emerging domains

• Physical, digital and cognitive battle spaces

He stressed that convergence warfare blurs traditional lines between peace and conflict, military and civilian spaces, and tactical and strategic levels.

Non-Nuclear Strategic Deterrence

General Chauhan also highlighted the need to establish credible non-nuclear strategic deterrence capabilities to ensure escalation dominance at every level of conflict.

He emphasised that the ability to win across all levels of escalation — without necessarily resorting to nuclear options — is essential in a complex and contested security environment.

MITRA: A Framework for Future-Ready Forces

The two-day seminar (February 24–25, 2026), hosted by CDM in partnership with the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, serves as a high-level platform for strategic reflection and reform.

The MITRA framework envisions armed forces that are:

• Multi-domain in vision

• Integrated in action

• Technology-empowered in execution

• Resilient in purpose

The objective is to align global lessons from contemporary conflicts with India’s unique operational realities, while reinforcing self-reliance and structural reform.

Strategic Dialogue and National Power

The seminar brought together senior defence officials, military scholars, industry leaders and practitioners to foster intellectual discourse and strategic foresight.

Discussions focused on strengthening comprehensive national power and building a force structure capable of managing future contestations across evolving theatres of conflict.

By integrating technological innovation, doctrinal reform and institutional resilience, the MITRA framework seeks to prepare India’s Armed Forces for long-term strategic competition.

CDM’s Role in Shaping Military Leadership

Established in December 1970, the College of Defence Management remains India’s premier tri-service institution for advanced military management education.

Over the decades, CDM’s annual seminars have addressed themes ranging from geopolitical shifts and strategic autonomy to defence self-reliance and leadership transformation — reinforcing its role in shaping India’s military doctrine and administrative capability.

With the CDS’ call for Intelligent Warfare and ARADO, the 2026 seminar signals a significant shift in India’s defence thinking — positioning technology, integration and resilience at the heart of future military strategy.