Why is it in the news?

Growing military gap between India & China → need for integrated deterrence strategy

Category: Defence / Internal Security

Important Points:

● Strategy integrating Land, Air, Sea, Cyber, Space & Cognitive domains

● Moves from silo-based warfare → system-of-systems approach

● Focus on deterrence by denial (enemy attack fails + high cost)

● Linked with ARADO (All Realm All Domain Operations)

● China’s “intelligentised warfare” → AI, satellites, missile systems

● Addresses two-front threat (China + Pakistan)

● Helps tackle grey-zone warfare (cyber, disinformation, economic coercion)

● Secures Indian Ocean Region (90% trade dependency)

● Strategic approaches: Bold (tech leap), Conservative (incremental), Middle-path (best option)

● Requires integration of C2, ISR, logistics, infrastructure