“Warfare Is Now Non-Contact and Non-Kinetic”: Army Chief

• Army Chief says modern warfare is non-kinetic, requiring technological and moral strength.
• Warns of disinformation campaigns targeting social cohesion.
• Urges youth participation in defence innovation and nation-building.
• Announces Paid Army Internship Programme 2025 and tech outreach in IITs.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 31st Oct: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday said that modern warfare has moved beyond physical battlefields and now operates through “fibre cables, screens, wallets, and classrooms.”

Speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue: Young Leaders Forum held at the Manekshaw Centre to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary, he stressed that the nature of warfare today demands not only military strength but also intellectual, technological, and moral preparedness.

The Army Chief referred to Chanakya’s teachings, warning that “rising powers inevitably provoke countervailing coalitions,” and called for strategic resilience through deterrence and national preparedness. He highlighted the rise of disinformation campaigns as internal threats aimed at fracturing India’s social fabric.

Emphasising a “whole-of-nation approach” to security, Gen Dwivedi said that the synergy of governance, industry, academia, and civil society is essential in tackling multi-domain challenges. He also underscored India’s demographic advantage, calling Generation Z “India’s greatest strength if guided by discipline and direction.”

The Army Chief announced the Army’s Paid Internship Programme 2025 and outreach to IITs through 16 technology clusters to promote defence innovation. He reiterated that national security is not limited to soldiers on borders but extends to citizens and youth who “refuse to be indifferent.”

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also addressed the event, which featured army officials, students, and defence experts. It was announced that the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 will be held on November 27–28 with the theme “Reform to Transform: Sashakt and Aur Surakshit Bharat.”