The nature of warfare is changing – dramatically, irreversibly, and faster than we might have anticipated. For the past few years we have been focussing on this issue in this journal and most of our musings are proving to be right. As the magazine enters its 19th year of publication, our lead feature explores the ‘future of warfare’ which is a timely reflection on this profound transformation.

Disruptive military thinking is no longer an option; it is a necessity. The steady erosion of traditional linear battlefields, combined with the advent of new domains like cyber, space, and mindspace has created a battlespace that is fluid, multidimensional, and psychologically contested. The rise of autonomous systems,

AI-driven ISR&D, and man-unmanned teaming is challenging age-old doctrines and redefining what it means to project power. Group Capt Anil Sharma puts it across succinctly in his feature on the subject.

Our feature on ISR&D points out a direct bearing on jointness in warfare and integrated command structure. A functional joint ISR&D is imperative for operational functioning of theatre commands. The essay also introduces a critical evolution in operational thinking – ‘Degradation’, as a deliberate warfighting tool, not just surveillance or reconnaissance. Emerging technologies now allow for precision without presence, and decisions at machine speed.

Also under the lens is the waning utility of conventional platforms. Manned fighters, large surface fleets, massive towed guns and heavy armour, remain relevant, but their dominance is eroding in the face of long-range vectors, hypersonics, and drone swarms. Conventional power must evolve or risk irrelevance.

As the military world moves toward jointness and theatre commands, this issue seeks to provoke thought, question orthodoxy, and encourage institutional readiness for a new era. We must ask ourselves – are we adapting fast enough? In the coming years, India’s strategic posture will be defined not only by hardware or troop strength, but by how creatively we rethink the tools, doctrines, and domains of conflict.

In sum, this issue asks an urgent question: Are we intellectually and structurally prepared for the battlefield that is coming—not the one we are used to? The battlefield of tomorrow won’t wait. Neither should we.