Ten military lessons from the Ukraine conflict for India

Source: The post is based on the article “Ten military lessons from the Ukraine conflict for India” published in “Indian Express” on 8th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2- Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interest.

What are the military lessons from the Ukraine conflict for India?

The military lessons from the Ukraine conflict for India are;

Geopolitical conflicts can be inherently escalatory and high-stakes: Studying the Russia-Ukraine conflict reminds us that geopolitical tensions can quickly escalate and have severe consequences for regional stability and alliances, such as NATO.

Prolonged wars involve evolving aims: Long-lasting wars tend to escalate and can surprise even seasoned military analysts with their evolution, such as Russia’s continued resistance against Ukraine.

A stable domestic front is crucial for prolonged wars: Wars demand not only battlefield strategy but also political stability and domestic resilience, which are intertwined.

Battlefield and political resilience are interconnected: Just like Russia, India should ensure its military and political strategies are coherent and adaptable, even in the face of setbacks.

Prolonged wars are wars of reserves: These types of wars need extensive reserves – including political will, military capacity, industrial logistics, and manpower. A consistent narrative can also bolster morale.

War strategies are complex and evolving: The Ukraine conflict shows that warfare blends tactics from different eras, demonstrating that India should be prepared to adapt and learn from both past and present military strategies.

The rise of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tools changes the battlefield: ISR technologies reveal more of the battlefield than ever before, making traditional stealth tactics less effective. India must consider the potential of these technologies, including their capacity to shorten engagement windows and blur the lines between combatants and non-combatants.

The democratization of combat information calls for decentralized firepower: As combat information becomes widely accessible, there will be pressure to distribute firepower more broadly, potentially to smaller units like platoons. This means India needs to prepare for simultaneous, multi-location engagements and develop new command structures to manage dispersed forces.

Modern technology impacts the dynamics of the battlefield: Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities and other technology-rich strategies are becoming increasingly lethal. This suggests that India must keep pace with technological advancements and find a balance between precision and volume firepower, especially as sensor and strike capabilities converge.

Military technology must align with national doctrine: India should adapt technology to suit its own military doctrine, rather than subscribing to a one-size-fits-all approach.

India should learn from global military trends: India needs to independently evaluate its military strategy by learning, unlearning, and relearning lessons from past wars and current global trends. This will ensure strategic autonomy and aid in defense reform processes.