Modern Warfare Strategy: Lt Gen SL Narasimhan Addresses CDM on Gray Zone Threats and Evolving Military Doctines

SECUNDERABAD, INDIA — JULY 09, 2026 — Addressing participants of the 22nd Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC-22) at the College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad, distinguished military veteran and strategic expert Lt Gen SL Narasimhan, PVSM, AVSM*, VSM, PhD (Retd), delivered a critical lecture on the rapidly changing nature of modern conflict.

During his address to the officers of the tri-services institution, Lt Gen Narasimhan highlighted how contemporary rival powers increasingly operate within the “gray zone”—the ambiguous space between definitive peace and open warfare. He emphasized that adversaries are aggressively utilizing coercive pressure tactics designed to fall just below the threshold of conventional military conflict while still securing significant strategic and territorial gains.

Challenging traditional defense paradigms, he urged the future leadership of India’s Armed Forces to spearhead the evolution of military doctrines. Lt Gen Narasimhan concluded with a decisive call to action, stressing that modern military leaders must anticipate these unconventional threats early and build robust, multi-domain response capabilities specifically tailored to India’s unique security context.