In a stark warning that has sent ripples through India's strategic community, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has declared that the nation must brace itself for a violent and unstable future where even a single failure could prove catastrophic.
Era of Intense Global Instability
Speaking at the prestigious Chanakya Defence Dialogue on November 28, 2025, the country's top military commander painted a grim picture of rapidly deteriorating global geopolitics. General Chauhan emphasized that the world is moving toward an era of intense instability where traditional security paradigms are becoming obsolete.
The CDS highlighted several alarming trends contributing to this dangerous new reality. He pointed to the collapse of nuclear treaties and noted that major world powers are actively signaling new weapon developments, pushing the globe into increasingly perilous territory.
Transformation of Modern Warfare
General Chauhan detailed how future conflicts will be shaped by revolutionary technologies and strategies. The battlefield of tomorrow will feature faster weapons systems, advanced robotics, and autonomous platforms operating across multiple domains simultaneously.
He explained that massive sensor networks will become crucial, while cyber, space, and information domains will prove as decisive as traditional land and air operations. This multi-domain warfare approach means that traditional frontlines are disappearing, making entire national infrastructures vulnerable to targeting.
"Failure in war is catastrophic," the General stated bluntly, stressing that India cannot afford any complacency in this new security environment where the stakes are higher than ever before.
India's Path to Security
In response to these emerging threats, CDS Chauhan outlined a clear roadmap for India's defence preparedness. He urged the nation to focus on three critical areas: credible preparedness, cross-domain operations, and strategic technological dominance.
The General emphasized that securing India's national interests in this volatile landscape requires immediate and sustained attention to developing indigenous capabilities across all warfare domains. He called for accelerated integration of emerging technologies into India's defence architecture and stressed the importance of maintaining strategic advantage through innovation.
His address serves as a crucial wake-up call for policymakers, defence planners, and the strategic community to prioritize military modernization and technological advancement as non-negotiable elements of national security.
