Ran Samwad 2026: Indian Military Chiefs Outline Roadmap for Multi-Domain Operations in Bengaluru
BENGALURU, APRIL 09, 2026 — The second edition of “Ran Samwad”, a premier tri-service strategic seminar, commenced today in Bengaluru under the aegis of the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS).
Inaugurated by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and organized by the Air Force Training Command, the two-day event focuses on the theme “Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats.”
The seminar aims to synchronize India’s joint warfighting capabilities across land, sea, air, space, cyber, and cognitive domains. Keynote speaker Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit emphasized that MDO is a “present necessity” rather than a future concept, noting that modern conflict now unfolds simultaneously across the electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace rather than in traditional sequential stages.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi, characterized the current global security environment as a “permanent conflict” world and a “dispersed, undeclared world war.” He argued that MDO is not merely about six domains operating in parallel, but a dynamic interaction where leadership and focus shift fluidly between domains.
To achieve “Total Domain Fusion,” General Dwivedi highlighted the Army’s shift toward Integration, Informatisation, and Intelligentisation, citing the operationalization of Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) and Command Cyber Operations Wings. He urged a shift in command culture where leaders “command technology” to maintain a decisive edge, moving toward a “Whole of Nation” architecture that erases the seams between different military branches.
Simultaneously, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi provided a maritime perspective, describing the modern naval battlespace as a transparent, interconnected grid reaching from the seabed to space. Admiral Tripathi reaffirmed the Indian Navy’s commitment to becoming a 200-plus ship force by 2035, with a heavy emphasis on modular design and technological evolution.
He further detailed the Navy’s push for autonomous and uncrewed solutions in line with the Indian Navy Vision for Unmanned Systems 2022-30. The seminar, which hosts a mix of military leaders, industry experts, and foreign attaches, will conclude tomorrow, April 10, with the release of a collaborative roadmap designed to prepare India for the complexities of future multi-domain conflicts.