make preferable
The global landscape is entering an increasingly turbulent, unpredictable, and explosive cycle, where international law and institutional guarantees have been relegated to the background, and hard power has once again emerged as the primary instrument for dictating one's will and the rules of the game in international relations - a state of affairs best characterized as the "law of the jungle."
India, a nuclear power, the world’s most populous nation and the seventh largest country by landmass, a pivotal player in Asia that is gradually assuming a progressively weightier role on the global stage, traditionally prioritizes a strategy of bridging divergent interests, smoothing diplomatic friction, and cultivating balanced relations; however, in its long - term strategic calculus, it consistently maintains a readiness for any contingency by continuously growing it self-defending capacity. The escalating friction in the Middle East highlights, once again, an enduring geopolitical truth: global influence is unsustainable without the hard power to defend it.
To the east lies China - a nuclear superpower challenging the U.S. in the struggle for global hegemony and possessing the world’s second-largest economy - and to the west is Pakistan, another nuclear-armed adversary with whom the conflict over Jammu and Kashmir periodically flares up, most recently last year. Under the conditions of this military-political landscape, India faces three fundamental imperatives: armed forces with sufficient deterrence potential and the capability to inflict significant damage on the adversary; a military arsenal equipped with modern weaponry integrated with cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence; and the greatest possible self-sufficiency, placing emphasis on domestic technologies, which will enable it to tangibly reduce both military and political dependence on other centers and insure against potential risks in crisis situations. These very landmarks lie at the core of India's Armed Forces' development strategy.
Alongside military correspondents representing more than twenty nations, I recently had the opportunity to spend over two weeks in India, gaining firsthand insight into the capabilities of the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force, the achievements of the Indian military industry and the potential of its technological companies.
In mid-February, the Indian Navy, together with several dozen countries, conducted large-scale exercises titled "MILAN 2026" in the southeast of the country, off the coast of Visakhapatnam, which serves as the headquarters of the Indian Navy's Eastern Command. Around 74 nations maintaining friendly relations with India participated in these drills - including the U.S., Russia, and Iran, as well as a number of states from Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Turkey and China, however, were notably absent; along with certain geopolitical contradictions, the reason was the overt support shown to Pakistan during the latest escalation that took place last year.
As a maritime power with a coastline spanning approximately 11,000 km, the development of naval capabilities is naturally a priority for India - not only to protect its own territory in the event of a potential attack but also to ensure the security and navigability of maritime trade routes of vital importance, especially given that approximately 95 percent of India's trade, including critical energy imports, relies on these sea lanes. These figures alone attest to the necessity of maintaining a formidable naval presence.
The Indian military fleet, which possesses more than 150 warships - including destroyers, frigates, submarines, and aircraft carriers - is increasingly capable of conducting special operations far from India's shores. Aircraft carriers play a decisive role in such missions, allowing military aviation to be projected thousands of kilometers away for the purpose of executing offensive operations in a designated theater. There are currently two operating aircraft carriers in the Indian Navy, one of which, along with a total of 60 Indian warships, was showcased during these exercises. "INS Vikrant" is the first indigenously produced Indian aircraft carrier - a flagship of national pride - which we had the opportunity to board and watch in the Bay of Bengal.
India is concurrently upgrading the capabilities of its Army amid growing security challenges in the region. The “Agni Varsha” exercises, held on February 25 at the Pokhran Firing Range in western Rajasthan, bordering Pakistan, focused on the coordinated employment of combined arms, precision long-range fires, and network-enabled command and control in a realistic battlefield setting. These drills integrated advanced technologies, including unmanned aerial systems, counter-drone capabilities, precision strike rockets, modern artillery platforms, and networked surveillance systems. On the ground, operations featured T-90 Main Battle Tanks, Infantry Combat Vehicles, K-9 Vajra, Sharang, and Bofors artillery systems, as well as indigenous ALH Weapon System Integrated helicopters, Apache attack helicopters, and a range of surveillance and strike drones.
The “Vayu Shakti - 2026” exercise, conducted on February 27 in the same region near the Pakistani border, provided an impressive demonstration of the Indian Air Force's capability to execute rapid and precise strikes in simulated wartime scenarios. Advanced fighter aircraft, including Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, HAL Tejas, Mirage 2000, and Jaguar, carried out precision strikes using air-to-ground guided bombs and missiles against conventional enemy bunkers, runways, and command centers. Supporting these operations, the BAE Hawk, Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules, Airbus C-295, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, and various helicopters - including the HAL Chetak, Dhruv Mk IV, Mil Mi-17, Light Combat Helicopter, Apache, and Chinook - performed low-altitude rocket drills, casualty evacuations, and heavy equipment transport across difficult terrain. Notably, the Indian Air Force played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor, striking dozens of targets not only along the border but deep within Pakistani territory.
India’s indigenous “Akash” surface-to-air missile systems were also utilized during the exercise. These systems were first purchased by Armenia, marking a new chapter in defense cooperation under a wider bilateral deal. The visit of General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Defence Staff, to Yerevan this February, followed by mutual reaffirmations of cooperation, signaled a strong bilateral interest in expanding the partnership between Armenia and India. The Akash system, which played a major role during last year's Operation Sindoor, is slated for an upgrade to the Akash-NG. While the initial model has an operational range of up to 30 km, the new version extends this to 70 km and features an indigenous radio frequency seeker capable of countering diverse aerial threats. All subsystems, including the multi-function radar (MFR), command unit, and launch vehicle, are indigenously produced.
Leading state-owned and private technology enterprises play a pivotal role in translating India’s vision of a self-reliant defense industry into reality. Bharat Electronics Limited, a primary distributor for the Ministry of Defense, manufactures state-of-the-art electronic systems including radars, electronic warfare suites, and avionics. Other firms, such as NewSpace Research & Technologies Limited and the Defense Innovation Organization (DIO), are developing high-spectrum UAVs and space research and communication equipment, while SSS Defence focuses on small arms and high-end optics. The overarching priority for these manufacturers lies in advancing indigenous production, with the dual objective of meeting domestic requirements and establishing an even larger competitive presence in international markets.
Thus, India is firmly on a path toward comprehensive military modernization, transforming its Armed Forces into a high-tech, self-reliant, and integrated joint force equipped with a strengthened nuclear triad and advanced technologies like AI and cyber capabilities to master net-centric warfare, pursuing strategic self-reliance and multi-domain readiness as global geopolitical tensions rise.
Hayk Sahakyan
