CDS Anil Chauhan says future wars will span cyber, cognitive domains; pitches Shirdi as defence manufacturing hub

NEW DELHI: Chief of defence staff Anil Chauhan on Saturday said future wars will be fought across multiple domains including land, sea, air, cyberspace and cognitive warfare, as he inaugurated the NIBE Defence Manufacturing Complex in Maharashtra’s Shirdi and described the city as an emerging hub of defence manufacturing and technological innovation.Addressing the inauguration ceremony, General Chauhan said modern warfare was rapidly evolving beyond conventional manpower and platform-centric operations, with technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics, drones and cyber systems shaping the battlefield of the future."Future wars will be multi-domain where land, sea, cyberspace, cognitive warfare, and air will operate together," he said.He added that future battlefields would no longer remain confined to geographical spaces. "The battlefield of today will no longer be limited to a geographical space, but information networks, digital ecosystems, cyber infrastructure, and data environments will also become part of this battle space," he said.General Chauhan said technological innovation, speed and adaptability would determine strategic advantage in future conflicts."Artificial Intelligence, robotics, cyber systems, drones, autonomous platforms, space technologies, precision strike weapons, and information dominance are giving a decisive shape to the battlefield of the future," he said.Speaking about the newly inaugurated defence manufacturing facility, the CDS said Shirdi, long associated with spirituality and faith, would now also gain recognition for industrial and defence growth."The city of Shirdi is known across the country for faith and spirituality. But from today onwards, this city will also be known as a hub of defence manufacturing, industrial growth, technological innovation, and national security. This is truly a wonderful confluence of faith and future technology," the CDS said.Highlighting India’s defence production capabilities, General Chauhan said domestic defence manufacturing had reached nearly Rs 1.27 lakh crore, while defence exports crossed Rs 38,000 crore, with Indian-made defence products being exported to more than 100 countries.Describing Nibe Limited as an example of the growing confidence in India’s private defence sector, he pointed to the company’s work in missile systems, ammunition, autonomous platforms and emerging technologies.The CDS also urged young engineers and innovators to contribute towards building a “Viksit Bharat”."The future belongs to those who create change. You are the power of India. You are the architects of Viksit Bharat," he said.Defence minister Rajnath Singh and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were also present at the inauguration ceremony in Shirdi.