Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on completion of one year of Operation Sindoor, Malik said recent conflicts across the world, including the Iran confrontation and the war in Ukraine, have highlighted how the nature of warfare is rapidly changing.
“There is no doubt that the nature of conflict has changed,” Malik said. “With all the new technologies and weapon systems that we have got, there is no doubt that drones are likely to play a much bigger role hereafter.”
Operation Sindoor saw India deploy advanced military platforms, including fighter aircraft, beyond-visual-range missiles, BrahMos missiles and the S-400 air defense system during its operations against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
A year ago, India launched Operation Sindoor after the Pahalgam terror attack left 26 people dead. India targeted nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, with the government saying the strikes were completed in under 30 minutes.
The Army, Navy and Air Force coordinated the operation, which the government said neutralized high-profile terrorists linked to the IC-814 hijacking and the Pulwama attack.
Pakistan later launched retaliatory strikes, following which India targeted 11 Pakistani airbases.
Malik said one of the key lessons from modern warfare is that escalation can happen extremely quickly, turning a limited conflict into a high-intensity war within a short period.
“Escalation can take place very quickly,” he said. “It can turn into a high-intensity war or conflict without much notice.”
He added that India must prepare for both short-duration precision conflicts as well as prolonged wars similar to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“We have to be prepared not only for this kind of short-war option, though it took only 88 hours or so, but also for a long war, as you can see happening in Ukraine,” Malik said.
The former Army chief said India’s security environment has become more complex because of the dual challenge posed by adversaries on both the northern and western borders.
“With our two adversaries, both in the north as well as the west, we have to be prepared for this kind of warfare,” he said.
Former diplomat Achal Kumar Malhotra, said geopolitical realities are also reshaping modern conflicts, with nations increasingly acting according to strategic interests rather than consistent counter-terror positions.
“The Americans have their own interests in engaging Pakistan,” Malhotra said, referring to Washington’s recent outreach to Islamabad.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier praised the armed forces for giving a fitting response to those behind the Pahalgam terror attack, while Home Minister Amit Shah said India’s enemies cannot escape the country’s surveillance and firepower.
Malik said future military preparedness would require India to invest in newer technologies and remain ready for rapid escalation scenarios in an increasingly volatile global security environment.
