India’s Armed Forces Unveil Joint Doctrines for Cyberspace and Amphibious Operations

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In a pivotal move to modernize its military strategy, India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan, has officially released the declassified versions of two new joint doctrines: one for cyberspace operations and another for amphibious operations. The doctrines were formally unveiled during a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, underscoring India’s commitment to enhancing military integration and transparency. This initiative is part of a broader push to develop joint war-fighting concepts for contemporary and future conflicts.

The Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations is a significant development, outlining a unified approach to defend national cyberspace interests. It integrates offensive and defensive cyber capabilities and enables synchronized operations across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The doctrine emphasizes threat-informed planning, resilience building, real-time intelligence integration, and the development of joint cyber capabilities. In the foreword, General Chauhan noted that cyberspace operations are akin to “maneuver warfare, where speed and agility are of utmost importance.” He also highlighted the armed forces’ awareness of adversarial pursuits in the cyberspace domain and stressed the need for a collaborative “whole of nation” approach to respond to these challenges.

Meanwhile, the Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations establishes a clear framework for the planning and execution of amphibious missions. It defines how maritime, air, and land forces will be integrated to influence operations ashore. This doctrine focuses on enhancing interoperability, rapid response capability, and the application of joint force to achieve strategic objectives. Amphibious capabilities are crucial for a nation with a long coastline, enabling a range of operations in the Indian Ocean Region during both war and peace.

The release of these doctrines is part of a series of doctrinal developments initiated by the CDS. Other doctrines or primers currently under development cover military space operations, special forces operations, airborne/heliborne operations, integrated logistics, and multi-domain operations. These documents are designed to provide policymakers and military commanders with a common language and guidelines for effective planning and seamless execution of joint military operations, ultimately strengthening the nation’s defense preparedness.