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OPINION JANUARY 23, 2026 | The Indian Eye 11

of human intelligence with persistent to become a national combat disci- a National Security Strategy. India cepts will prove costly.
high-altitude, stealth-based intelli- pline. It requires doctrine, trained has made significant improvements Used as a mirror, Operation
gence, surveillance and reconnais- cadres, permanent peacetime re- in jointness, particularly with theatre Absolute Resolve pushes India to
sance, and maritime-enabled com- hearsal cycles, civilian power grid command debates and integrated accelerate Theatreisation, build a
mand networks. India must therefore resilience, and assured, satellite-in- planning. However, Absolute Re- genuinely integrated C5ISR archi-
prioritize a sustained forward intelli- dependent communications. The solve shows that even the best equip- tecture, and elevate SF Command
gence presence across all eight di- Venezuelan case demonstrates that ment fails if the state cannot think, and air power integration to a new
mensions, long-endurance, stealth, once your sensors are blinded, your decide and act at the required speed. level, while remaining anchored in
surveillance, deeper integration decision cycle collapses. When the Further, it highlights India’s strategic India’s strategic culture and neigh-
between civilian and military intelli- decision cycle collapses, everything weakness: the absence of a national borhood-centric objectives.
gence, and a dedicated national-level else follows. Above all, it highlights strategic security construct. Operation Absolute Resolve
pattern-of-life analytics. the importance of an indigenous de- India possesses competent Spe- demonstrated what a mature
In future crises involving fense ecosystem. cial Forces. What they require is 21st-century military ecosystem looks
high-value targets, adversary com- For India, which operates layered precisely what the United States like when activated. It showed that
mand centers or critical military in- air defenses including modern long- demonstrated. Long-range air mobil- air defense networks built on reputed
frastructure, intelligence preparation range missile systems, the message is ity is protected by credible electronic systems can collapse quickly if they
may last months or years, but the fi- not alarmist. Instead, it is a call for warfare cover. National capacity to are not supported by resilient pow-
nal execution window may shrink to realism. Systems must be continually destroy or neutralize hostile air de- er, robust networks and disciplined
minutes. The one-to-many ratio be- trained to fight under conditions of to- fense networks rapidly. Real-time in- doctrine. It revealed that future wars
tween preparation time and kinetic tal electromagnetic hostility. Dummy telligence fusion. Maritime support will begin in the electromagnetic
execution demonstrated in Venezu- emitters, mobile deception networks, platforms that can sustain operations spectrum long before missiles fly.
ela represents the operational stan- hardened underground command beyond immediate borders—deep It has been shown that intelligence
dard of future power actions. sites, and rapid dispersal doctrines are doctrinal confidence among political preparation now exceeds all other
Perhaps the most striking ele- essential. India should also accelerate leadership to employ them when re- priorities. It confirmed that tempo,
ment of the Venezuelan episode was investment in its own Suppression of quired. integration and cognitive speed con-
the quiet violence that preceded the Enemy Air Defense capability. Future India lives in a far more contest- vert capability into decisive effect.
kinetic strikes. As American aircraft conflicts in our region will almost cer- ed strategic geography than Venezu- For India, the most profound les-
and special operations helicopters tainly demand the neutralization of ela. Across our continental borders son is that the battlefield now begins
moved, Venezuela’s air defense sys- hostile missile shields. That requires lie two adversaries with sophisticated in cables, satellites, power grids, fiber
tems went blind, deaf and confused. indigenous anti-radiation weapons, air defense networks, advanced cy- optics, routers, servers and minds.
Radars built to detect stealth aircraft, offensive electronic-warfare aircraft, ber capabilities, electronic warfare Army formations, fighter aircraft and
imported with the promise of surviv- cyber integration with kinetic strikes, capabilities and strong surveillance naval fleets will always matter. Still,
ability, were electronically paralyzed. and doctrinal clarity on how to dis- architectures. At sea, India faces an they will operate only if the nation’s
Command networks lost connectiv- mantle layered defenses under time expanding Chinese maritime foot- digital nervous system survives and
ity. Grid-linked systems were ren- pressure. print, supported by strategic access all assets in the multi-domain bat-
dered powerless as cyber operations One of the most remarkable as- to Indian Ocean logistics. Internally tlespace are networked. India needs
reportedly disrupted electricity distri- pects of the operation was tempo. and regionally, high-value targets to invest deeply in electronic war-
bution. Systems that appear powerful More than 150 aircraft reportedly and challenges posed by irregular fare as a central combat capability.
in static photographs are reduced to operated from multiple locations. warfare will persist. Strengthen cyber and grid resilience.
expensive pieces of silent metal. Electronic warfare, cyber action, Therefore, the Venezuelan ep- Build long-endurance, stealth ISR
For India, it has three lessons. Special Forces insertion, air defense isode speaks to India across three and maritime-enabled intelligence
• First, air defense systems alone do suppression and command target- broad levels. support. Prepare theatre-level sup-
not secure skies. Without hard- ing unfolded almost simultaneously. First, deterrence is no longer pression of enemy air defenses. Insti-
ened, resilient, redundant and Within roughly half an hour of initial simply about visible weapons. Deter- tutionalize a rapid decision culture.
intelligent networks, even sophis- suppression, the ground capture was rence now rests on whether a nation A dispassionate SWOT analysis of
ticated surface-to-air missiles be- effectively secured. Within hours, can protect its nervous system. Power future warfare capabilities is re-
come irrelevant. the extraction was complete. For the grids, military communication net- quired, with a time-sensitive action
• Second, electronic warfare is not defending state, this meant that de- works, satellite resilience, electromag- plan to ensure readiness. Future wars
an accessory. It is not a supplemen- tection, decision, coordination and netic spectrum dominance and robust will not be defined by what is in the
tal arm. It is now as central as air response all had to occur inside an ISR decide survival. Thus, deterrence inventory; they will be determined by
power or ground maneuver. almost impossibly compressed time- is all about denial and domination. how one denies and dominates in a
• Third, India must assume that in frame. Their systems were not mere- Second, India must internalize cyber- and electronic-warfare-satu-
any future conflict involving tech- ly outmatched technologically; they that future decisive actions will rely rated multi-domain operational en-
nologically advanced adversaries, were outpaced both cognitively and on rapid, integrated operations rath- vironment.
our own systems will face intense by the kill web. er than sequential ones. Intelligence, Lt Gen A.B. Shivane, PVSM, AVSM,
jamming, spoofing, cyber disrup- For India, this highlights the im- cyber shaping, electronic paralysis, VSM (Retd) is a former Strike Corps
tion, deceptive electromagnetic portance of decision architecture. In information warfare and kinetic Commander and Director General of
signatures and potentially coordi- any major crisis or limited war con- strike will occur as a single orches- Mechanized Forces.
nated power infrastructure manip- tingency, our political and military trated event. This demands joint the- Views expressed are of the author and
ulation. leadership must expect extremely atre thinking. do not necessarily reflect the views of
India has made significant compressed timelines. This requires Third, India should draw both
strides in electronic warfare through pre-authorized frameworks, re- confidence and caution. Confidence, the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
Government of India.
DRDO programmes, dedicated elec- hearsed joint-force responses, rapid because many elements demonstrat-
tronic-warfare suites on aircraft, and political-military decision synchro- ed by the United States are already This article first appeared in the
specialized ground platforms. But nization, and a mission-command under serious development within Comments section of the website (www.
the lesson here is scale and integra- culture within services. India lacks the Indian system. Caution: com- idsa.in) of Manohar Parrikar Institute
tion. Electronic warfare must move a strategic war-gaming and scenar- placency about imported air defense for Defense Studies and Analyses, New
beyond platform-specific equipment io-building model in the absence of systems or traditional security con- Delhi, on January 10, 2026

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