The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have shattered long-held assumptions about modern conflict. These battles reveal that victory now hinges on real-time intelligence, integrated multi-domain operations, and organizational transformation—making ISR&D the decisive factor in future warfighting effectiveness

War watchers the world over have been closely following the two wars raging in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine borders, only to have their understanding changed with regards modern warfare strategies and Tactics. Many myths have been broken only to be replaced by new ones, be it ideas of Short-Swift battles/ technological infusion/ Quicker Responses/ retaliation to enemy moves etc.

One of the many lessons that clearly comes out is that no single service can claim total control over the war or its battles. The evolution of the battlefield into a multi-domain environment with success depending on seamless integration across all elements of combat power, is apparent. Need for military transformation to address the emerging threats is but obvious. This is not to undermine an All-of-Government-Approach wherein civilian domains also are increasingly becoming important in war winning (Economic, IT, Science & Technology Academia etc)

Internationally, we have seen the impact of integrated ISR & Degradation capabilities in modern conflicts. Let me first define what I mean by ISR&D for better understanding the following discourse that follows. ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) is the process of gathering, analyzing, and disseminating information to enhance situational awareness, while Degradation refers to the coordinated use of kinetic and non-kinetic means to disrupt, disable, or destroy an adversary’s capabilities. A component of this has been on display in Israel’s `Iron Dome’, which successfully detects, intercepts and neutralizes missile threats autonomously, before they can strike own targets. This system functions not just because of advanced interceptors but due to an uncompromising ISR architecture—real-time sensor fusion, rapid decision-making, and automated engagement mechanisms. Further examples of the neutralisation of Nasarallah in Lebanon, Haniah in Iran, and Osama Bin Laden in Muzaffarabad, based on real-time intelligence and decision making, automated in most cases, saw all arms and services unleashing their firepower on the target, are but a few examples of such integration of intelligence and effectors from all possible sources, across geographies. Viral videos of a kamikaze drone chasing an tank driver and blasting on his face while another drone photographs the action in a PSDA mode, also shows similar manifestations in the Asian Continent. These are integrated forces operating at national level as single entities to achieve national goals. Behind such successes is the all important Organisational Transformations in Leading world armies, that have organized their defence forces into centralised command structures through theaterwide commands (like US or NATO forces or Israel).

The United States’ JADC2 (Joint All-Domain Command and Control) framework ensures that all ISR inputs from satellites, aircraft, cyber sensors, and ground reconnaissance units feed into a unified battlefield picture. This allows commanders to detect, decide, and degrade adversary threats with unmatched speed and precision. The advanced Nations with evolved ISR-driven Degradation capabilities operate on centralized, AI-based intelligence processing models.

United States, recently (2018) transitioned from JSTARS & JTIDS to JADC2 (AI-driven Joint All-Domain Command & Control), integrating ISR with strike capabilities across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Cyber Command. NATO and EU have the MUSIS (Multinational Space-Based Imaging System) and SCORPION ISR Program centralizing ISR networks across the entire allied forces.

Similarly,  Sistema Razvedki i Upravleniya (REZ-IS) in Russia fuses ISR data to direct precision EW attacks using Krasukha systems, S-500 Air Defence, and Orlan-10 UAVs. The Integrated Network-Electronic Warfare (INEW) of China combines AI-driven cyber warfare, ISR satellites (Gaofen, Yaogan), and stealth drones (Sky Hawk, J-20) into a unified command structure.

A truly network-centric warfare model, as most of the above are, demands a real-time, AI-driven ISR fusion that seamlessly integrates Multi-Source Intelligence (HUMINT, SIGINT, IMINT, MASINT, OSINT, Cyber Intelligence), duly supported by space based surveillance, which is AI-Driven Predictive Targeting, AI-assisted threat prioritization and pre-emptive or reactive engagement by kinetic and non-kinetic systems and weapons across tri-services (withing the theatre).

Among many other elements in this framework, an effective ISR&D system becomes the backbone for winning battles through integrated ‘ISR&D’ Data Fusion, decision-making and degradation to finally achieve combat effectiveness.

In the Indian context, have we been giving adequate thought at the strategic levels of Governance on what needs to be done with the proposed constituents of this theatre command (The Kargil Committee Report had strongly highlighted this need)? The answer seems to be a `No’ as what we see on ground is a clear silo-ization between, not only in the three services but also between arms and , each trying to outdo the other within respective microcosm, with no serious move to integrate to achieve Operational Synergy. Though the CDS’s appointment has been created, complete devolution of power or assumption of role, as initially envisaged, is still some distance away. This half-hearted effort at the Ministry level has come in the way of  theaterization towards which the intrinsic opposition is well known. Should we not start with identifying baselines so that when we finally have an effective theatre structure for the military, when the decision is sealed?  To be effective  a well-defined theatre command must be self-sufficient, eliminating the need to depend on external commands for support, intelligence, logistics, or firepower.

The concept of theatre commands is central to this transformation, ensuring that joint forces operate under a single, unified leadership with independent decision-making authority and direct control over all necessary resources.

Within this framework, an effective ISR&D system, more than just a collection of sensors and weapons would have to be a fully synchronized, self-learning warfighting framework giving the Theatre Commander resources like, ‘Common Intelligence Picture’  for Absolute Intelligence Dominance (including Logistics picture) through multi-Domain Data Fusion, Analysis & Dissemination Means, Sensor-to-Shooter Links, integrated Multi-Domain Fires (tri-services including Space, Air Power, Artillery, Air Defence, Armoured/Mechanised Infantry/Infantry and Naval units), and all this in real-time and over secure circuits, with autonomous capabilities built in. The framework also needs to integrate Space in its ISR resources through ISRO and other civilian agencies as well, like RAW, IB, Police and paramilitary forces (there are linkages between all these agencies available, but not currently integrated into the framework being discussed thus far).

Some good news. In bits and pieces, some amount of integration of concepts, components, technologies, processes and procedures do exist.  Today India fields a formidable array of ISR platforms across all domains. In space-based ISR, satellites like RISAT, CARTOSAT, and EMISAT provide ELINT, while GSAT-7 ensures secure communications. Airborne ISR assets include AWACS, AEW&C (Netra, Phalcon), MQ-9B, and Heron drones. The Indian Navy deploys P-8I Poseidon aircraft, MF-STAR on destroyers, UUVs and USVs. On land, Swathi WLR, BFSRs, HUMINT, MASINT, and SIGINT nodes enhance battlefield awareness. Cyber and EW ISR capabilities are available through NTRO’s cyber operations, as well as Samyukta and Himshakti jamming systems.

Integrating Space based assets including ISR and Anti-Satellite capability forms another domain for expanding the ISR&D capability of the Defence Space Forces. The Integrated Defence Space Centre (IDSC) jointly operated by the three services, DRDO and ISRO, the Defence Space Research Organisation (DSRO), (created in 2019 to support DSA to develop space warfare weapon systems and technologies), along with the Army-specific Integrated Defence decision Support System (IDSS),   the Air Force’s AFNET and Automated Air Defence Control & Reporting System ‘Project Akashteer’ (BEL in collaboration with Indian Startup NewSpace), the Navy’s ‘Naval Command, Control, Communication & Intelligence (NC3I) Network (Providing secure & seamless network to provide real-time maritime domain awareness and decision-making capabilities) could be gamechangers once integrated. The National Geospatial Framework (NGF) for space data integration and sharing at National level also needs to be integrated so as to seamlessly access data in the civil domain for military use. Apprehensions on data leak, currently discouraging its integration into military circuits can well be addressed through secure Quantum Communications (it’s a matter of time before this takes centre-stage).

With the strides already made and in the pipeline, should we not try and replicate our own version of JADC2 or REZ-IS, creating an AI-driven National ISR & Strike Coordination Command? The possibilities are immense, provided someone in the defence apparatus takes ownership of the project. The HQ IDS duly led by the CDS has to look at this parallel to the initiative to theaterise the entire military domain.

Yes, there would be challenges. In order to support ISR&D and other such integrated networs, we may require to create a Military Cloud supported by a ‘Military GPU Farm’ with a layer of Quantum Technologies based secure and wide communication network. To serve the military needs, there will be a requirement of creating indigenously, Large or Medium Language Models (LLM, MLM) like ChatGPT, Gemini or DeepSeek to build in the AI element in the system to achieve real-time data fusion, analysis and target prioritisation, avoiding data overload to operators at all levels. There may be a need to include medical aspects of Cognitive Overload while designing interfaces.

One very important question that may arise is the Indigenous Content of the system (to obviate cyber issues related to hacking and system hijack). To answer this  apprehension, one needs to look at indigenous capabilities and Capacities. Like the NewSpace’s ‘Akashteer Project’. Today, there are numerous Indian companies, majority of them in the MSME and Startup segment who have immense capabilities to develop of absorb technologies. Add to this list of highly skilled human resources today in the 1600 odd Global Capability Centres (increasing by the day), catering to such Hi-tech and Deep-Tech demands of the Fortune 500 companies of the world that have set up shop in India. The feed to these GCCs come from 1.5 million Technical Graduates from all Engineering Colleges (including about 18,000 from IITs), every year.

In Conclusion: 

A theatre commander requires real-time intelligence dominance to anticipate threats, neutralise adversary capabilities, conduct precision degradation operations, while preserving own assets in all domains. This is where a robust ISR&D system transforms from being a force multiplier to a decisive warfighting tool.

The battlefield of the future will not wait for slow-moving decisions. The time to act is NOW—before we find ourselves on the receiving end of a war where the enemy sees us before we even know they are coming. What better time than now when 2025 has been declared as a Year of Reforms.

The watchword – move from Incremental Change to Transformational change.