Editorial 2: ​The reality of the changing dimensions of warfare

Context

It involves not just advanced weapons, but also evolving military tactics, which India needs to pay close attention to.

Introduction

Machiavelli believed that politics is driven only by the harsh truth — the fight for power and survival. Today, we are living in a time when the old rules of international politics are slowly fading away. At the same time, the ways to gain dominance are changing deeply. For today’s global leaders, events like the Peace of Westphalia (1648) and the Congress of Vienna (1814–15) — which shaped the idea of the nation-state — have little value now. In the eyes of many, modern weapons are now the most important tool in global power politics.

Illusion of Peace After World War II and the Rise of New Conflicts

• The year 2025 marks 80 years since the end of World War II, a period often seen as one of relative global peace.
• Although there were many smaller wars during this time, none matched the scale or destruction of World War II.
• For many, the U.S. victory in WWII — especially the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki — symbolised the start of a peaceful era.
• Ideas like a "rules-based international order" became popular after the war.
• However, this was more of an illusion than actual peace — described as a "riddle wrapped in an enigma".
• A series of smaller but significant wars — in Korea, Vietnam, North Africa, and even parts of Europe — continued to break out.
• These conflicts showed that peace was never fully achieved, only managed.
• British diplomats often advised, "Don’t believe anything unless you check it yourself", highlighting global uncertainty and mistrust.
• By the 1990s, people started questioning old beliefs about peace and global order.
• The end of the Cold War seemed less like a peaceful resolution and more like the beginning of new types of conflicts.
• New conflicts began to emerge, shaking the belief that the world had moved beyond war.
• It was becoming clear that the world was entering a new phase of warfare, even though many still refused to admit it.

The impact of 9/11

• A popular article recently discussed the "End of Modernity" and explored today’s global situation in detail.
• It marks 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall, as the start of a new era in global politics.
• Others view September 11, 2001 (9/11) — the Twin Tower attacks — as the true beginning of a new world order.
• While 9/11 did mark a shift, it wasn’t the main turning point in global conflict patterns.
• The attacks allowed the U.S. and allies to justify invasions based on their own moral and political judgments.
• At the time, it was still unclear whether this would fundamentally change warfare or its impact on future generations.
• The true consequences of these shifts are still emerging, and not fully understood even today.
• To better understand this transformation, one must look back at 1991 and Operation Desert Storm.
• That war was the first in modern times to show a dramatic leap in military speed and tactics.
• It introduced a mix of operational, tactical, and strategic elements unlike earlier wars.
• Desert Storm also showed the use of three-dimensional strikes against a selected enemy.
• Only recently have military experts begun to realize how transformational this operation was for future warfare.

Ukraine, West Asia and Operation Sindoor

India needs to adapt

• The key message is clear — India is entering a new era of technological warfare.
• India must quickly adapt to match the fast-changing defence environment.
• This shift raises doubts about India’s current military modernisation plans.
• Many existing weapon tenders may be outdated and need to be reviewed.
• India’s defence strategy may require a full revision and upgrade.
• There is a clear need to rethink future defence procurement plans.
• China has already developed and deployed large numbers of indigenous platforms, like the J-10, J-20, and fifth-generation fighters.
• China is now close to producing a sixth-generation fighter jet.
• India continues to rely on Rafale fighter jets from France and limited local production.
• Indigenous missile and aircraft projects in India are running behind schedule.

Conclusion

What is important is that with the rise of high-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are key for modern warfare, India must rethink its defence modernisation plans. It is now crucial to diversify India’s military equipment. This directly affects India’s ability to fight future wars, whether with Pakistan, China, or a possible two-front conflict.