Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 11: Modern warfare has drastically changed the way nations must perceive threats, demanding a significant expansion of surveillance capabilities far beyond borders, said Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, during a seminar in the national capital on Wednesday.
Speaking at a think-tank event hosted by Centre for Surveillance and Indian Military Review at Subroto Park, Air Marshal Dixit asserted that the evolution of warfare now renders distance meaningless and emphasised the growing need for “deep surveillance” in a world where the frontlines are no longer clearly defined.
“The relationship between distance and vulnerability has been fundamentally altered. We must detect and track threats not at our borders, but deep within enemy territory,” he said, referring to technologies that now allow strikes from hundreds of kilometres away with precision, such as BrahMos and SCALP missiles.
The officer pointed out that Operation Sindoor had showcased how indigenous innovation, when harnessed effectively, could not only meet but exceed international standards. During the operation, India used long-range precision weapons to strike terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistan.
Dixit described the shift in military dynamics as a ‘revolution’ that is reshaping the way military power is perceived, processed, and projected. “The old ideas of front, rear and depth areas have dissolved. Today’s battlefield is a single, merged domain.”
He further noted the emergence of advanced small satellite constellations and the fusion of electro-optical capabilities that now offer real-time, predictive surveillance round the clock. “We no longer merely observe. We anticipate, predict and pre-empt,” he said.
However, the officer also warned that precision warfare carries its own risks. “The success of precision weapons depends on precise intelligence. Inaccurate or outdated data can lead to mission failures and unintended consequences.”
Highlighting regional security challenges, Air Marshal Dixit noted China's significant leap in space-based military capabilities, expanding from 36 satellites in 2010 to over 1,000 in 2024, with 360 dedicated to ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) roles. He said China’s kill mesh—an integrated web of satellites and weapon systems—is reshaping the regional military landscape.
Referring to global conflicts including the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Hamas clashes, and India’s own experience, he concluded, “The side that sees first, sees farthest, and sees most accurately, wins.”