Rajnath, CDS to attend tri-services seminar at Army War College, Mhow; Op Sindoor on the table

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Military officers will share "hard-earned lessons" from India's operational frontlines, the Operation Sindoor experience, and engage in discussions on August 26-27 on enhancing jointness in the armed forces as part of a pioneering tri-services seminar themed on the impact of technology on warfare.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Triparthi are scheduled to attend 'Ransamwad 2025' to be held at Army War College, Mhow, in Madhya Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.

Three joint doctrines on multi-domain operations, special forces operations, and airborne and heliborne operations will also be released during the event, a senior official said, adding that the one on multi-domain operations will be released by Singh while the remaining two by the CDS.

Singh will also release the Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap (TPCR).

In a video message for the event shared on Wednesday on the X handle of HQ IDS, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt General Pushpendra Pal Singh, said serving officers will share operational insights into modern warfighting at 'Ransamwad'.

"Today, India's security environment is complex. We operate across two active borders in high-altitude, urban, jungle and desert terrains, while simultaneously responding to cyber, information and grey zone threats. From the sustained counter-insurgency operations in the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir to Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army has evolved into a multi-domain, all-terrain force," he said.

He said India's defence preparedness rests on jointness.

"The Indian Army is implementing transformative reforms, agile integrated battle groups, digitised command and control theaterisations to ensure that we are suitably prepared for protracted, sharp and high-tempo conflicts of the future," he added.

The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff on Wednesday held a curtain-raiser briefing at the Manekshaw Centre at Delhi Cantonment on the upcoming event to be hosted by HQ ARTRAC (Army Training Command) under the aegis of HQ IDS.

"India needs to lead the strategic debate on future war -- we were a 'Vishwa Guru' once and we need to reclaim that space, and to be more adept at fighting future warfare," a senior official said.

Lt Gen Vipul Shinghal, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Doctrine, Organisation and Training), shared the broader details of the two-day seminar, which is themed Impact of Technology on Warfare, and looks at the convergence of ideas on strategy, innovation and national security.

The two sub-themes of the seminar are Emerging Technologies and Impact on Future Warfare, and Reforms in Institutionalised Training to Catalyse Technological Enablement, he said.

Defence Minister Singh will attend the event on August 27, Lt Gen Shinghal said.

The key seminar on war, warfare and warfighting is taking place three-and-a-half months after India's Operation Sindoor.

Asked if the event was planned before or after the military action in May, a senior official said planning for Ransamwad 2025 predates Operation Sindoor.

He added that the Operation Sindoor experience will figure in the discussions.

In a video message for the event shared a day earlier on the X handle of HQ IDS, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit said "in an era where speed of decision is itself a weapon, we must think, train and fight as one force".

"Ransamwad is not just a seminar, it is a strategic dialogue where our officers share hard-earned lessons from India's operational frontlines. From contested borders to cyber battlegrounds, India's security environment is multi-dimensional and dynamic. This makes jointness no longer optional; it is mission-critical. Successful Operation Sindoor is a testimony to this," he said.

"Our armed forces are undergoing rapid integration, joint structures are being shaped, tri-service modes are operational, and defence, cyber and space agencies are active. AI, autonomous and quantum systems are now part of military planning. Ransamvad anchors these changes in operational reality," the CISC said in his message.

The CISC, in his message, welcomed the hosting of the seminar steered by HQ ARTRAC, and said the Air Force and Navy will carry the torch forward in the coming years.

"The Integrated Defence Staff sees this not just as a seminar, but as a doctrinal crucible for India's future force. Ransamvad is where India's integrated future takes shape," he asserted.

Lt Gen Devendra Sharma, GOC-in-C, ARTRAC, in his video message hosted on the X handle of HQ IDS, said the Army, Navy and IAF officers will share their thoughts on recent conflicts, emerging technologies, niche and disruptive warfighting technologies, the Operation Sindoor experience, integration of space and warfighting, and training for operations.

Under Operation Sindoor, India took a decisive military action in May on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

"Let Ransamvad be the forum, where we not only discuss warfighting but also define its very course," he said.

The HQ IDS said the forum will allow delegates to explore cutting-edge innovations, integrated combat strategies and modernised training frameworks that will equip the Indian armed forces for "future operational challenges", supporting the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat. PTI KND KSS KSS