Air Marshal (Dr) Diptendu Choudhury, PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM (Retd)

This Occasional Paper presents a timely and rigorous examination of India’s evolving military imperatives in an era of complex, multi-domain threats. Drawing on decades of operational, strategic, and doctrinal experience, the author outlines the urgent need for a joint approach to warfare that integrates the core strengths of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Against the backdrop of India’s contested borders, China’s assertive rise, Pakistan’s persistent hostility, and an increasingly hybrid threat environment, the paper argues for a coherent Joint Concept of Operations (CONOPS) rooted in realistic threat assessment, operational synergy, and the effective utilisation of existing structures.

The paper underscores two critical strategic caveats: ensuring that organisational restructuring genuinely enhances India’s ability to win future conflicts, and preparing the Armed Forces to operate effectively even while reforms are underway. Through a structured framework—ranging from strategic intent and campaign design to joint operational planning and execution—it proposes a practical, cost-effective pathway toward integrated warfighting. This Occasional Paper thus offers a substantive contribution to the ongoing discourse on defence reforms, jointness, and India’s future military transformation.