Indian military leaders call for multi-domain integration

Indian military leaders have emphasized the necessity of transitioning toward a “system-of-systems” approach to enhance combat effectiveness through multi-domain operations.

Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani stated that future military success depends on integrating capabilities across various domains to create battlefield effects faster than an adversary can respond. He noted that the focus must shift from individual service-specific requirements—such as those of the Army, Navy, or Air Force—to the specific capabilities required to achieve desired battlefield effects. This approach relies heavily on adequate networking, data, and C4ISR capabilities, including space-based sensing and communications.

Supporting this call for modernization, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Tejpal Singh highlighted the need for operational coherence across diverse technologies. He argued that India must not stall current capabilities while waiting for future platforms. Singh suggested that while jumping generations of aircraft may be difficult, jumping generations of combat architecture is achievable through the development of autonomy, distributed sensing, and resilient communications. He called for a paradigm shift in collaboration between military operators and the defence industry to ensure all assets are future-compatible.