From Soldiers To Scientists – India Must Unite For Future Battles, Says Army Chief

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi. (Photo: IANS)

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said that India’s future security will rely on a “whole-of-nation” approach, bringing together soldiers, scientists, industry, academia, and civilians in a united effort.

General Dwivedi was speaking at the inauguration of the Indian Army Research Cell (IARC) - 'AgniShodh' at IIT Madras.

General Dwivedi stressed that future warfare will demand seamless coordination between the armed forces, academia, industry, government research bodies, and even civilian volunteers, and urged IIT Madras faculty and students to focus on cutting-edge fields such as advanced composites, microelectronics, secure communications, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, and synthetic biology.

Speaking on Operation Sindoor, General Dwivedi said that after the horrific Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the central government had given a free hand to the three service chiefs for further action.

General Dwivedi said by April 25, the Northern Command had executed strikes on seven of the nine identified targets, hitting deep inside what Dwivedi called the “heartland” of terror infrastructure, destroying training facilities and killing numerous militants.

General Dwivedi added that two additional targets deeper inside Pakistan were hit using Indian Air Force assets due to their range requirements. On May 7, air strikes on camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir eliminated over 100 fighters. Dwivedi stressed that the operation was aimed directly at the “nurseries of terrorism and their handlers.”

Describing Operation Sindoor as both a powerful retaliatory measure and a demonstration of India’s growing prowess, the Army Chief said it showcased the nation’s ability to mount multi-domain operations — integrating land, air, cyber, and space warfare with tight inter-agency coordination.