India Joint Defence Doctrine 2025

India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, recently released the declassified India Joint Defence Doctrine focusing on Cyberspace Operations and Amphibious Operations. This significant move aims to enhance transparency and promote a deeper understanding of integrated war-fighting concepts among the Indian Armed Forces.

The India Joint Defence Doctrine provides a unified framework that enables the Army, Navy, and Air Force to operate cohesively across multiple domains, reflecting India’s strategic intent to modernise defence capabilities and strengthen joint operations.

What is the India Joint Defence Doctrine?

The India Joint Defence Doctrine is a comprehensive guide designed to synchronise the efforts of all three military services for effective combat readiness. It outlines coordinated strategies for modern warfare, including cyberspace operations and amphibious operations, ensuring that India’s military responses are swift, efficient, and well-integrated.

Overview of the Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations

Cyberspace has become a critical operational domain, consisting of interconnected networks, communication systems, and data infrastructures. The India Joint Defence Doctrine recognises cyberspace as a global battlefield where military activities and information flows take place continuously.

The doctrine establishes a combined offensive and defensive cyber strategy that emphasises threat-informed planning, real-time intelligence sharing, and operational resilience.

By promoting synchronised cyber operations across all branches, the doctrine addresses complex challenges such as attacker anonymity and rapidly evolving technological threats. Importantly, it also underscores legal and ethical compliance to maintain legitimacy in cyberspace.

Key Components of Cyberspace Operations Include:

• Defensive Cyber Operations: Protecting military and national networks from cyberattacks.

• Offensive Cyber Operations: Disrupting enemy systems and infrastructure to gain tactical advantages.

• Cyber Intelligence and Reconnaissance: Gathering and analysing cyber threat data to guide military actions.

• Cyber Support Operations: Providing technical assistance to enhance land, air, maritime, and space domain capabilities.

• Resilience and Recovery Systems: Ensuring rapid restoration of functions during cyber crises.

Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations

The India Joint Defence Doctrine also highlights amphibious operations, which involve coordinated military actions launched from the sea using naval, air, and land forces. This doctrine sets the framework for planning and executing such operations with a focus on interoperability among the three services and rapid response capabilities.

Amphibious operations extend India’s strategic reach over coastal and island territories, enabling diverse mission profiles such as combat, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. They effectively link maritime and land objectives, boosting India’s defence posture in crucial geographies.

Strategic Significance of the India Joint Defence Doctrine

The India Joint Defence Doctrine plays a pivotal role in enhancing national security by protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring maritime superiority. It acts as a force multiplier by integrating cyber capabilities with conventional warfare, making military operations more effective and responsive.

Moreover, the doctrine’s emphasis on tri-service jointness reduces duplication, improves operational efficiency, and prepares the armed forces for hybrid warfare involving simultaneous cyber, sea, and land threats. It also sends a strong diplomatic message, showcasing India’s defence readiness and technological advancement.

Future Developments in India’s Defence Doctrines

Under the guidance of the Chief of Defence Staff, efforts are underway to expand the India Joint Defence Doctrine framework to include emerging warfare domains such as:

• Military Space Operations

• Special Forces Operations

• Airborne/Heliborne Operations

• Integrated Logistics

• Multi-Domain Operations

These future doctrines will provide common lexicons and operational guidelines to maintain India’s edge in contemporary and niche warfighting domains, further strengthening India's defence strategy.

Summary for SSC Aspirants

Understanding the India Joint Defence Doctrine is essential for SSC aspirants as it reflects the country’s defence operations evolving to meet modern threats. The doctrine highlights India’s shift towards a joint military doctrine, emphasising military jointness in India for seamless cooperation between the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Key takeaways include:

• The role of cyber and amphibious defence in India in modern warfare

• How the Indian armed forces integrate cyber capabilities with traditional combat operations

• The strategic impact of India’s joint defence doctrine on national security

• The importance of the role of Chief of Defence Staff in India’s defence policy

• India’s commitment to the modernisation of the Indian armed forces' joint doctrine

This framework ensures India’s armed forces remain prepared for hybrid and multi-domain warfare, reinforcing the framework for joint military operations in India and maintaining a robust Indian defence modernisation plan.

Final Thoughts

The India Joint Defence Doctrine marks a significant milestone in the country’s defence strategy by fostering seamless coordination among the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This doctrine strengthens military jointness in India by providing a clear and unified framework for joint operations Indian military across cyber, amphibious, and other critical domains.

It highlights India’s commitment to the modernisation of the Indian armed forces' joint doctrine to face evolving threats effectively. With the focus on cyber and amphibious defense in India, the doctrine ensures resilience against hybrid warfare challenges. The role of the Chief of Defence Staff in India’s defence policy is pivotal in driving these reforms.

Overall, the India Joint Defence Doctrine enhances national security, promotes operational efficiency, and showcases India’s rising defence capabilities on the global stage.