In a significant address, a senior Indian Army officer affirmed that non-contact warfare is swiftly becoming the new standard in global military strategy. This evolving approach allows nations to achieve strategic objectives and secure victories without the direct human cost of close combat.
Lieutenant General Adosh Kumar, who serves as the Director General of Artillery for the Indian Army, underscored the growing reliance on remote capabilities such as sophisticated surveillance systems and advanced cyber operations in modern conflicts. He emphasized that the Indian Army must not only be prepared but must actively strive for dominance in these crucial domains.
Speaking at the 3rd Gen S F Rodrigues Memorial Seminar, which focused on ‘Non-Contact Warfare: Capability Building Imperatives for the Indian Army,’ Lt Gen Kumar stated that traditional battlefield contact is no longer an absolute prerequisite for decisive action. He noted that the shift towards non-contact warfare is already underway globally, with nations developing sophisticated methods to win conflicts while minimizing their own casualties.
He further elaborated that contemporary warfare increasingly leverages remote power, including advanced surveillance, robust cyber operations, strategic space assets, precise long-range strikes, and autonomous systems. These tools enable military forces to weaken or neutralize opposing forces effectively, all while safeguarding their own personnel from direct engagement.
Lt Gen Kumar urged that the Indian Army must proactively embrace this transformation. It is essential for the force to be fully equipped and strategically positioned to operate, dominate, and ultimately prevail in this complex and rapidly changing environment.
Drawing lessons from recent conflicts, he pointed out how units heavily reliant on direct contact can be incapacitated by precision non-contact strikes, a scenario with direct implications for India. He cited ‘Op Sindoor’ as a powerful example, demonstrating the combined strength of surveillance, precision, and information superiority when deployed synergistically. India’s space-based assets played a vital role, providing timely intelligence that allowed for proactive anticipation rather than reactive responses.
He added that India’s use of long-range precision strike vectors during ‘Op Sindoor’ yielded devastating effects. “Our ability to acquire and act decisively on accurate information ensured clarity of thought on our side, while our adversary was plunged into confusion. This exemplifies non-contact warfare in action. However, what we achieved in ‘Op Sindoor’ is merely the beginning, not the culmination. To maintain a competitive edge, we must not just replicate our successes but make a monumental leap forward across the entire spectrum of both non-kinetic and kinetic capabilities,” Lt Gen Kumar asserted.
Emphasizing its foundational role, Lt Gen Kumar stated that surveillance is the very backbone of non-contact warfare. He stressed the importance of developing indigenous, reliable, and resilient capabilities in areas like wide-area imaging, electronic intelligence, advanced payloads, and ‘launch on demand’ systems. Equally vital, he highlighted, is ensuring India’s self-reliance in space-based positioning and navigation, free from dependence on foreign networks.
The seminar was well-attended, with notable figures including Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, Chief of Staff, Southern Command, along with other senior officers, industry leaders, domain experts, and military veterans.