Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday reaffirmed the centrality of land forces in determining wartime outcomes, asserting that “land will remain the currency of victory” in the Indian strategic context.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, the Chief of Army Staff referenced the recent Alaska summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that even in a global conflict like Ukraine, ultimate negotiations boiled down to how much territory exchanged hands—a signal that control of land continues to define victory despite advances in other military domains.
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General Dwivedi emphasised India’s distinctive security environment, where it faces what he described as “two-and-half-front threats,” a clear reference to the country’s contested borders with China and Pakistan, as well as persistent internal security challenges. In such a situation, he argued, the primacy of land dominance becomes irreplaceable, especially given India’s large territorial frontiers and land-centric conflict scenarios.
His observations are particularly significant as they arrive barely two weeks after Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh, highlighting lessons from Operation Sindoor, declared that the campaign had once again underlined the “primacy of air power.” Dwivedi’s remarks, therefore, framed a nuanced counterbalance within India’s higher defence discourse, underlining inter-service perspectives on warfighting priorities.
Beyond reaffirming the enduring importance of ground combat, the Army Chief also spoke extensively on the changing character of warfare in the 21st century.
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He pointed to the transformative role of cyber and electronic warfare, space-based assets, and disruptive drone and loitering-munition technologies, outlining how the Indian Army is simultaneously modernising to integrate these emerging domains. Dwivedi stressed that the service is inducting new technologies, promoting jointness with other branches, and adopting structural reforms to remain future-ready.
He explained that while the battlefield is rapidly evolving, boots on ground and physical control of contested territory will still constitute the decisive determinant of victory in India’s strategic scenario.
Based On A PTI Report
Agencies
