Why in News
The second Joint Commanders’ Conference, themed “Military Capability in New Domains”, was held at the South Western Command Headquarters, Jaipur, on May 7–8, 2026 — timed to coincide with the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and CDS General Anil Chauhan presided, alongside the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
What Is the Joint Commanders’ Conference?
The Joint Commanders’ Conference is a high-level tri-service conclave bringing together the political leadership (Defence Minister), military leadership (CDS, Service Chiefs), and theatre/functional command commanders. It serves as a platform to:
- Review India’s evolving security environment and threat landscape
- Align military strategy with the Government’s foreign and defence policy
- Unveil new doctrines, operational concepts, and capability road maps
- Accelerate integration of the three services toward jointness and theatre commands
The first edition of this conference was held in Lucknow in 2025 (post-Operation Sindoor), where India first articulated its shift toward a rapid, decisive retaliation doctrine.
Key Outcomes of the 2026 Conference
1. New Warfare Doctrines for Emerging Domains
New doctrines were released covering India’s approach to:
| Domain | Key Concepts |
|---|---|
| Cyber Warfare | Offensive and defensive cyber operations; protection of critical information infrastructure (CII); adversary network disruption protocols |
| Space Warfare | Counter-space capabilities; satellite protection; space situational awareness; dual-use space assets |
| Cognitive Warfare | Information warfare, psychological operations (PsyOps), narrative management; countering disinformation as a strategic tool |
| AI in Military Operations | AI-driven targeting, logistics, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance); autonomous systems in tri-service ops |
| Unmanned Systems | Drone swarm doctrines; counter-UAS frameworks; integration of drones and loitering munitions in joint operations |
2. Aatmanirbharta in Defence
A central focus was on accelerating indigenisation — developing a robust civil-military fusion ecosystem for defence innovation. Key thrust areas:
- Faster absorption of iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) products into frontline units
- Expanding the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) with strategic partners
- Reducing import dependency in ammunition, electronics, and naval systems
3. Operation Sindoor as a New Benchmark
Rajnath Singh called Operation Sindoor “a defining model of modern warfare” — noting that India had achieved:
- Air superiority in under 72 hours (per US defence analysts)
- Successful integration of Rafale (SCALP/HAMMER), BrahMos, drones, and loitering munitions
- First simultaneous use of electronic warfare suppression, cruise missiles, and air-launched precision bombs in a combined tri-service campaign
The operation is now being studied as a case model for India’s military doctrine going forward.
Background: India’s Defence Jointness Drive
India’s push toward tri-service integration and joint commands has been underway since the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post in January 2020, following the Kargil Review Committee recommendations. Key milestones:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2020 | CDS post created; Department of Military Affairs (DMA) established |
| 2021 | Draft Theatre Command framework proposed (maritime, air defence, land) |
| 2022 | iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) accelerated post-Russia-Ukraine learnings |
| 2023 | Agnipath scheme; integration of AI in ISR operations |
| 2024 | Inaugural Joint Commanders’ Conference (Pune) |
| 2025 | Operation Sindoor — real-world test of tri-service jointness; 1st post-Sindoor conference (Lucknow) |
| 2026 | 2nd conference (Jaipur); new domain doctrines released |
Why These Domains Matter: UPSC Angles
Cyber Warfare
India’s critical infrastructure — power grids, banking systems, nuclear plants — is increasingly targeted. The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) under NTRO is the nodal body. India’s cyber security policy under the National Cyber Security Policy (2013; revision pending) needs urgent modernisation.
Space Warfare
India’s ASAT (Anti-Satellite) capability was demonstrated in Mission Shakti (March 27, 2019) — making India the 4th country globally to demonstrate ASAT capability. The Defence Space Agency (DSA) was established in 2019. India’s satellites — for navigation (NavIC), earth observation (Cartosat, RISAT), and communications (GSAT) — are strategic assets requiring active protection.
Cognitive Warfare
Pakistan’s IB and ISI-linked disinformation operations — fake social media accounts, doctored videos, and falsified civilian casualty reports — were extensively used during Operation Sindoor. India’s counter-narrative operations were assessed as effective, but a formal cognitive warfare doctrine had been absent until now.
AI in Military
India’s AI-in-Defence roadmap (2018, revised 2021 and 2023) aims for 75 AI-enabled defence products by 2025. Autonomous drones, predictive maintenance, and AI-powered ISR are key areas.
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Joint Commanders’ Conference (2nd edition, Jaipur, 2026); theme: “Military Capability in New Domains”; CDS: Gen Anil Chauhan; 4 new warfare domains — cyber, space, cognitive, AI/unmanned; ASAT (Mission Shakti 2019); NCIIPC under NTRO; iDEX; Agnipath scheme
Mains GS-3: India’s national security challenges; tri-service jointness and theatre commands; role of AI and unmanned systems in modern warfare; cyber threats to CII; space as a contested domain; Aatmanirbharta in defence
Mains GS-2: Civil-military relations in India; role of CDS and Department of Military Affairs; parliamentary oversight of defence; India’s defence diplomacy
Essay/Interview: “The nature of warfare is changing faster than India’s capacity to adapt — is India’s tri-service integration doctrine ready for multi-domain warfare?”
Facts Corner – Knowledgepedia
- Joint Commanders’ Conference: 2nd edition; Jaipur; May 7–8, 2026; theme: “Military Capability in New Domains”
- First edition: 2025 (first held post-Operation Sindoor as joint platform)
- CDS: General Anil Chauhan (3rd CDS; took office January 2024)
- Operation Sindoor described as “air superiority in 72 hours” and “benchmark for modern warfare”
- 4 new domains covered: Cyber, Space, Cognitive, AI/Unmanned Systems
- NCIIPC (National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre): under NTRO, MHA oversight
- Mission Shakti (March 27, 2019): India’s ASAT test; 4th country globally after USA, USSR/Russia, China
- Defence Space Agency (DSA): est. 2019 under IDS (Integrated Defence Staff)
- iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence): under DIPAM; funds startups solving defence problems
- Civil-military fusion: key concept from Xi Jinping-era China’s MCF policy; India developing its own model
Sources: PIB — Joint Commanders’ Conference, Business Standard — Op Sindoor benchmark, DD News — Joint Commanders Jaipur
