The nature of warfare is evolving rapidly, moving beyond traditional land, sea, and air confrontations into a complex, multi-domain contest. Power in future conflicts is expected to be projected and contested simultaneously across physical, digital, and psychological spaces.
Recognizing this shift, former Indian Army chief Gen JJ Singh (retd) confirmed that India is preparing to meet the challenges of next-generation warfare.
Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of an event, Gen Singh highlighted the urgent need for India’s armed forces to adapt to the changing battlefield.
“I can certainly say that the Indian Army is preparing for the next war… And that war is probably going to start from the space,” he said and stressed the importance of developing a robust space architecture, noting that India is already in the process of doing so.
Preparing for Multi-Domain Warfare
General Singh emphasized that future wars will extend across multiple domains, including land, air, sea, space, cyberspace, and the cognition domain, which focuses on influencing perceptions, decision-making, and morale.
“The armed forces are preparing to fight and win the next war. So we are preparing for that,” he said.
The former Army chief’s comments came during the launch of the book ‘Navigating the Geopolitical Churning: India’s Defence and Security Challenge’, a collection of articles from experts in defense and strategic affairs.
The book examines the shifting global and regional security environment and outlines strategies for India to strengthen its military readiness.
The emphasis on multi-domain warfare reflects a global trend where conflicts are no longer defined solely by kinetic operations. Instead, space assets, cyber tools, and cognitive strategies, ranging from information operations to psychological operations, play a central role in shaping outcomes on the battlefield.
Space: The New Frontier
According to Gen Singh, future wars are likely to start from space and this domain will be critical not only for communication and intelligence but also for navigation, missile defense, and early warning systems. The Indian military is investing in space capabilities to ensure that it is prepared for conflicts that could originate or intensify in orbit.
“We have to get our space architecture in place, which the country is in the process of doing,” Gen Singh said as per PTI. This includes satellite-based surveillance, secure communication networks, and space-based intelligence, reconnaissance, and navigation systems.
The focus on space signifies a paradigm shift. Previously, space was considered a support domain for traditional forces, but it is now central to offensive and defensive planning. Nations with advanced space capabilities can disrupt adversaries’ operations, monitor troop movements, and secure their own strategic assets.
Implications for Cyber and Cognitive Domains
Beyond space, Gen Singh pointed to cyberspace and the cognition domain as crucial arenas of modern warfare. Cyberattacks can cripple communication networks, disrupt critical infrastructure, and create confusion among both military forces and civilian populations. Meanwhile, operations in the cognitive domain aim to shape perceptions and influence decision-making.
Incorporating these domains into defense planning requires specialized training, investment in technology, and inter-service coordination. For India, this means expanding cyber command capabilities, developing advanced electronic warfare tools, and integrating psychological operations into operational planning.
Future Warfare and India’s Strategic Posture
The evolving nature of warfare also has broader implications for India’s defense strategy and foreign policy. Preparing for multi-domain conflicts ensures that the country can respond to both conventional and unconventional threats from state and non-state actors.
Experts suggest that India’s focus on space and cyber capabilities is a signal to regional adversaries that the country is modernizing its military for future conflicts. By emphasizing multi-domain readiness, India seeks to deter aggression, enhance its strategic autonomy, and strengthen its position in Asia and beyond.
“The armed forces are preparing to fight and win the next war,” Gen Singh reiterated, emphasizing that readiness is not limited to traditional combat but includes technological, informational, and strategic dimensions.
Investments in advanced military technologies, including missile defense, drones, space surveillance, and artificial intelligence, are expected to shape India’s future operational capabilities. Integrating these capabilities across multiple domains will be key to maintaining a credible deterrent against potential threats.
Building a Future-Ready Military
Preparing for multi-domain warfare also requires a cultural and organizational shift within the armed forces. Soldiers, officers, and commanders need to understand the interconnectedness of modern battlespaces, where decisions in cyberspace or space can directly influence outcomes on land or sea.
Training programs are evolving to include simulations of cyberattacks, space-based threats, and cognitive operations. Military planners are studying global trends, analyzing lessons from recent conflicts, and investing in technologies that enhance situational awareness, command-and-control, and decision-making under pressure.
Gen Singh’s remarks underline a message that India is not waiting for future wars to arrive but is actively shaping its capabilities to address emerging challenges. Multi-domain warfare, he suggests, will define the next generation of conflict, and India intends to be ready.
“So we are preparing for that,” he told PTI, summing up the country’s strategic approach in a rapidly changing security environment.
