Adaptive Defence for Emerging Security Challenges | 13 Nov 2024

Source: TH 

Why in News?

Recently, India’s Defence Minister advocated to create an “Adaptive Defence” in the country to counter the new security challenges posed by the fast-changing world. 

• He also said India is working on emerging technologies in face of diverse challenges. 

What is Adaptive Defence? 

• About Adaptive Defence: It is a strategic approach where a nation's military and defence mechanisms continuously evolve to counter emerging threats. 
  • It focuses on anticipating future threats, rather than merely reacting to past or current ones. 
• Key Elements of Adaptive Defence: 
  • Situational Awareness: The ability to understand and respond to dynamic environments. 
  • Flexibility: Both at strategic and tactical levels to ensure timely and effective responses. 
  • Resilience & Agility: The ability to recover and adapt quickly to changing circumstances. 
  • Integration with Emerging Technologies: Emphasising the need for adaptive defence to incorporate emerging technologies. 
  • Joint Military Vision: Evolution of joint military strategies to address future threats, involving not just national military forces, but also strategic international cooperation. 
• Evolution of Warfare: 
  • Grey Zone & Hybrid Warfare: Traditional notions of war are changing due to new threats such as cyber-attacks and terrorism. Modern warfare now includes non-traditional elements, demanding continuous adaptation. 
  • Technological Transformation: Emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), drones, and swarm technologies are reshaping warfare and defence strategies. 
    • Swarm technology allows drones, satellites, or spacecraft to work together in a coordinated way using decentralised control, automation, and self-organisation. 
  • Psychological Warfare: Manipulating, disrupting, or controlling information to influence public opinion, deceive, or disrupt the decision-making processes of governments. 
• Government Initiatives for Adaptive Defence: 
  • Institutional Strengthening: Creation of the Chief of Defence Staff, promoting jointness among services, and reforming training curricula. 
  • Focus on Self-Reliance: Strengthening India's defence capabilities through initiatives like the Make in India programme and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign. 
  • Drone Hub Vision: India aims to become a global hub for drones, with initiatives supporting the domestic drone industry and fostering innovation. 
  • Theaterisation of Armed Forces: It will integrate the army, air force and navy into one architecture, ensuring tri-services synergy and jointness.  
  • Positive Indigenisation List 
  • Increased FDI in Defence Sector 
  • Technology Development Fund (TDF) 
  • iDEX Scheme 

What are New Security Challenges for India? 

• Emerging Technologies:  
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI in military applications can manipulate early warning systems, and develop new weapons. 
  • Synthetic Biology: Combination of biology, engineering, and technology can design and develop biological weapons or even new life forms with harmful effects. 
  • Cybersecurity: Cyberattacks can debilitate critical infrastructure such as nuclear facilities, military systems, and intelligence networks.  
• Autonomous Weapons:  
  • Lethal Autonomous Weapons (LAWs): LAWs can independently identify, target, and engage threats without human intervention using AI and machine learning. 
  • Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs): They are capable of military surveillance, mine detection, scientific research, and underwater mapping. 
• Hypersonic Missiles: Hypersonic weapons can avoid radar detection and adjust their own path, making them hard to defend against. 
• Space Warfare: Space militarisation could disrupt or destroy satellite systems and other space based services like communication, navigation systems etc. 
• Terrorism: Drones can bypass traditional defence systems surveillance, targeted attacks, or the delivery of explosives.  
• Geopolitical Tensions: China-US tensions, Ukraine War, nuclear threats in hotspots like Korea and the South China Sea can have significant implications for regional stability. 
• Environmental Security: Rising temperatures, sea-level changes, and extreme weather events can lead to new security challenges, including the displacement of populations and resource-based conflicts.   
• Global Security Architecture: The traditional dominance of the United States is being challenged by the rise of China.  
  • It could lead to a power vacuum, encouraging instability in various regions, especially in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

Way Forward 

• Technological Integration: Integration of AI and related technologies into defence systems will enhance India’s ability to foresee threats and respond to new threats faster and more efficiently. 
• Cybersecurity: Establishment of a robust cyber defence framework, regular cybersecurity drills and updates to military systems can help prevent cyberattacks. 
  • Establish a dedicated cyberforce like China’s Cyberspace Force to deal with cyberattacks. 
• Resilience Against Hybrid Warfare: Educate the public to recognise fake news and propaganda, especially during conflicts, by using social media and other platforms to promote truthful, fact-based information and counter hostile narratives. 
  • Militaries should establish dedicated units for countering disinformation and propaganda. 
• Autonomous Systems: India should increase investment in anti-drone technologies and drone defence systems, as well as continue to expand its Drone Hub Vision. 
• Space Warfare: India should continue to enhance its anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities and focus on strengthening satellite resilience.   
  • Develop Space Force on the lines of United States Space Force (USSF) to secure space-based infrastructure, and assets from potential threats.