In a strong statement of India's increased military prowess, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan stated the nation is increasingly self-sufficient in defence technology and advanced warfare. During a speech delivered at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, General Chauhan reported on India's achievements during Operation Sindoor, pointing to the deployment of indigenous platforms and the nation's capability to carry out network-centric operations independent of overseas vendors.

Addressing a global gathering of think tanks and defence experts, General Chauhan noted, “We’ve built our networking infrastructure for air defence, integrated radars from multiple sources into a cohesive network, and deployed indigenous platforms like the Akash missile system effectively.” He emphasised that India's defence systems have evolved to the stage where they can be operational without the help of overseas suppliers. “We are no longer reliant on foreign vendors for critical systems, and that’s a major leap for us under Atmanirbhar Bharat,” the CDS said.

Network-Centric Warfare: The Core Of Future Conflicts

General Chauhan highlighted the increasing relevance of network-centric warfare, where convergence across all domains, air, land, sea, cyber, and space, is key. “Modern warfare is undergoing a complex convergence of tactical, operational, and land strategic layers. It’s not about linear wars anymore, but distributed force application, flexible platforms, and deception-led strategies,” he explained.

The CDS elaborated this development as a convergence of domains, time horizons, and approaches and referred to it as the key to gearing up for future wars. He underlined that automation and real-time connectivity need to be given high priority, with thoughtfully considered strategic deliberations on whether the state-of-the-art technology should be in the weapon, the platform, or the network. When asked about the success of Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan had this to say, "No war is perfect, but it's how we react that's important. We reacted in a good way and without further losses, in three days."

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On the cyber and information warfare role in Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan indicated that cyberattacks were minimal, owing to the air-gapped systems of the Indian military. "Operational systems were not impacted. Public-facing platforms were subject to some minor attacks, but our core defense infrastructure was secure," he said. He disclosed that 15 per cent of the time of military during operations was utilised countering disinformation, underlining the importance of an independent information warfare vertical. India's communication strategy was purposefully calibrated, grounded in facts, even if that took the form of late responses. General Chauhan highlighted India’s demographic advantage in defence technology innovation. “India produces the largest number of STEM graduates globally. With over 20 IITs and a fast-growing startup ecosystem, we are equipped to solve complex defence challenges,” he said. He also referred to structural military changes, such as integrated commands, initiating joint staff courses for tri-service training, and establishing designated organizations for drones, electronic warfare, and unmanned teaming platforms (UTAPs).

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Pakistan's Role: Utilised Chinese Resources

Responding to the ability of the opponent, General Chauhan confirmed that all parties to the conflict utilised commercial satellite imagery. "While Pakistan most likely utilized Chinese sources, there is no conclusive evidence of real-time support in targeting. It is possible they consulted their allies, including China or Western commercial providers," he said. He made it clear that while both parties gained access to satellite intelligence, India's dependence was still largely on indigenous space-based resources and national defense systems. "While we're using our own satellite capabilities, the Pakistani side might have used Chinese or Western commercially available imagery. I am not sure if they were supplied with real-time targeting information, but it's possible," he stated.