India's Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi urges Smart Power overhaul amid global volatility

At a National Seminar on “Security to Prosperity: Smart Power for Sustained National Growth” in New Delhi, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi warned that the escalating tension in the Strait of Hormuz and the strategic use of semiconductors reflect a world where trade and technology have become tools of coercion. He called for expanding India’s “Smart Power” – an integrated use of diplomatic, informational, military, economic, and technological instruments – and a “whole‑of‑nation” approach that supplements the traditional DIME framework with deeper industrial, research and governance capacity. Dwivedi stressed that security is now a precondition for prosperity and cited Operation Sindoor as a concrete example of coordinated military, informational, diplomatic and economic action.

Speaking at the same event, DRDO Distinguished Scientist Prateek Kishore highlighted that future conflicts will be won by speed of innovation, integration of national resources, and mastery of niche technologies such as hypersonics, AI, quantum and advanced sensors. He argued that warfare is becoming domain‑agnostic and that the long‑term economic impact of wars must be accounted for in defence planning. Kishore urged a rapid, indigenous technology base backed by a whole‑of‑nation effort involving R&D labs, academia, industry and the armed forces.

Both officials framed the strategy as essential for India to secure peace, accelerate growth and shape the global environment in its favour.