Recently, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan formally released the declassified versions of the Joint Doctrines for Cyberspace Operations and Amphibious Operations during the Chiefs of Staff Committee meeting in New Delhi.
- These doctrines aim to standardise tri-service operations, improve interoperability, and enhance India’s readiness for multi-domain threats.
Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations
- Objective: Unified approach to defend India’s national cyberspace interests.
- Key Features:
- Integration of offensive & defensive cyber capabilities.
- Synchronised operations across all three Services.
- Threat-informed planning and resilience building.
- Real-time intelligence integration for faster response.
- Development of joint cyber capabilities.
Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations
- Objective: Framework for integrated maritime, air, and land operations in littoral environments.
- Key Features:
- Interoperability between forces.
- Rapid response capability for coastal and island missions.
- Joint force application to influence operations ashore.
About Cyberspace Operations
- Cyberspace is the interconnected system of IT networks, communication systems, and embedded devices, forming a largely non-physical domain where military and civilian activities can be conducted to secure one’s freedom of action and deny it to adversaries.
Characteristics of Cyberspace
- Cross-Domain Impact – Effects can extend to physical and cognitive realms.
- Civil-Military Overlap – No clear separation between civilian and military targets.
- Kinetic Potential – Can cause real-world physical damage with escalatory risks.
- Attribution Difficulty – Hard to identify attackers, complicating responses.
- Neutrality Issues – Attacks can use neutral-country infrastructure.
- Asymmetry – Allows weaker actors to inflict disproportionate effects.
Measures taken for Strengthening cyberspace capabilities in India
- National Cyber Security Policy: Sets objectives to protect cyberspace, build prevention and response capabilities, and coordinate efforts across institutions and technologies.
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023: Regulates personal data use, mandates explicit consent, enforces security, and establishes a Data Protection Board for compliance.
- National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC)- Implemented by the CERT-In serves as the control room to scan cyberspace in the country and detect cyber security threats.
- Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): Provides a unified framework for law enforcement to tackle cybercrime, featuring units for threat analytics, reporting, training, research, forensic labs, and joint investigations.
- National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC): Protects critical sectors like power, banking, and telecom from cyber threats impacting national security.
- Cyber Swachhta Kendra: Detects botnet infections and helps users clean infected systems to secure cyberspace.
- Defence Cyber Agency (DCyA): A tri-service command conducting cyber operations including hacking, surveillance, and countermeasures.
- Cyber Diplomacy Division, MEA: It is responsible for managing India’s diplomatic engagements and negotiations related to cyberspace issues.
About Amphibious Operations
- A coordinated joint military action where naval forces, supported by air assets, transport land forces by sea to an operational area, sustain them ashore, and deliver decisive effects on land.
- It demands extensive planning, integration across the three Services, and offers flexibility to open new fronts.
Characteristics of Amphibious Operation
- Complex Coordination: Requires unity of command across all Services.
- Scalable: Tactical operations can be expanded to the operational level for strategic impact.
- Specialised Assets: Demands compatible and interoperable equipment.
- Multinational Scope: May involve multiple nations due to evolving geopolitical contexts.
- Maritime Land Linkage: Bridges sea-based capabilities with on-ground objectives.
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Past Doctrines
- Joint Doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces (JDIAF), 2017 – First tri-service strategic doctrine.
- Joint Training Doctrine, 2017 – Common inter-service training principles.
- Joint Doctrine for Land Warfare, 2018 – Land-air integration focus.
Need for Joint Doctrines for Cyberspace Operations & Amphibious Operations
- Unified Command & Coordination – Provides a common framework for the three Services to plan and execute complex, multi-domain missions seamlessly.
- Cyber threats like state-sponsored cyber espionage (e.g., Chinese group APT10 targeting Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute in 2021) show the critical need for a unified cyber defense framework.
- 2020 Mumbai power outage linked to Chinese cyberattacks
- Operational Standardisation – Establishes shared procedures, tactics, and interoperability standards to enhance mission effectiveness.
- Capability Development – Guides resource planning, technology induction, specialised training, and long-term force readiness.
- Vulnerability to advanced cyberattacks exploiting malware (Emotet trojan, Wannacry ransomware) and emerging threats like Ransomware as a Service (RaaS).
- Strategic Flexibility & Deterrence – Enables rapid, coordinated responses to threats in both physical and digital domains, strengthening deterrence.
- International & Multinational Cooperation – Facilitates joint exercises, partnerships, and collaborative operations with allied nations.
Global Comparison of Military Jointness
- British Armed Forces have institutionalized jointness since 1964.
- Canadian Armed Forces integration was formalized through a legislative act in 1968.
- Australian Defence Force (ADF) has been developing jointness since the 1970s.
- The US Armed Forces introduced jointness through the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986.
- Russian Armed Forces are currently undergoing transformation towards jointness.
- Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has actively strengthened jointness since 1998, including restructuring logistics, introducing new combat regulations, and establishing integrated theatres
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Challenges of Coordination in the Indian Military
- Operational Jointness: Fragmented command with separate service HQs and limited joint commands.
- The Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) have weak operational authority.
- Organisational Jointness: Bureaucratic silos and duplication in defence structure.Reforms mostly cosmetic; Defence Planning Cell and CDS office offer some improvement.
- Professional Military Education (PME): Few joint PME institutions; service-specific training dominates.
- Doctrinal Jointness: Several joint doctrines exist but are inconsistent and service-biased.
- Cybersecurity Gaps – India’s Defence Cyber Agency is yet to be upgraded to a full-fledged Cyber Command, limiting the scale of coordinated cyber operations.
- Resistance to Structural Change – Institutional reluctance within services to shift from traditional command setups to integrated theatre models.
- Limited Amphibious Lift Capability – Insufficient ships, landing craft, and support infrastructure for large-scale amphibious missions.
- Shortage of Specialised Personnel – Inadequate number of trained experts in cyber warfare, amphibious operations, and other niche domains.
- Dependence on Foreign Technology – Reliance on imported critical platforms and systems, creating vulnerabilities in supply and maintenance.
- Operational Coordination Challenges – Difficulties in achieving seamless real-time integration of land, sea, air, and cyber assets during joint missions.
Initiatives taken for jointness and integration
- Joint Exercises: Conducting tri-service drills (e.g., AMPHEX amphibious operations) with unified planning and execution platforms.
- Common Logistics: Shared fuel depots, maintenance hubs, and transport fleets accessible to all three services.
- Digital Networks: Unified battlefield communication systems with real-time data-sharing for integrated command and control.
- Standard Equipment: Joint procurement of interoperable radios, UAVs, and software for cross-service compatibility.
- Integrated Commands: e.g., Andaman & Nicobar Command, combining land, air, and sea elements under unified leadership.
- Joint Training: Replication of the NDA model in tri-service war colleges to instil integrated thinking at the training stage.
- Combined Planning Units: Department of Military Affairs (DMA)-led teams for joint operational strategies.
- Shared Human Resources: Cross-service use of medical units, logistics personnel, and cyber warfare teams.
Major Government-Led Coordination Efforts Among the Armed Forces
- Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) – Created in 2019 to act as principal military adviser, head the Department of Military Affairs, oversee all three Services, promote jointness, lead tri-service organisations, and drive reforms for resource optimisation and combat readiness.
- Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs): Restructuring the Armed Forces to assets by geography/function, enabling multi-domain operations and separating operational from administrative roles.
- Department of Military Affairs (DMA: Established in 2020 under the CDS to integrate procurement, training, staffing, and restructure commands for optimal joint operations.
- Inter-Services Organisations Act, 2023: Empowers tri-service formation commanders with authority over personnel from all Services, streamlining command and building the foundation for future theatre commands.
- Joint Logistics Nodes (JLNs) – Set up in Mumbai, Guwahati, and Port Blair since 2021 to provide integrated logistics support, saving manpower, resources, and costs.
- Joint Training & Exercises – Includes Future Warfare Course, Defence Services Technical Staff Course, ‘Parivartan Chintan’ Conference, maritime-air power seminars, and tri-service exercises like Prachand Prahar 2025 and Desert Hunt 2025.
- Technology Integration – Deployment of Defence Communication Network (DCN) for secure, network-centric connectivity and Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) for real-time tri-service coordination.
- Year of Defence Reforms – 2025 – MoD initiative to modernise the Armed Forces for integrated, multi-domain operations with a strong focus on jointness and theatre command readiness.
Way forward
- Build Integrated Capabilities – Establish a tri-service cyber command and expand amphibious assets such as landing platform docks, landing craft air cushion, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
- Enhance Interoperability – Standardise procedures, communication systems, and equipment across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, supported by regular joint exercises.
- Boost Indigenous Research and Development – Increase defence research and development spending to about two percent of the gross domestic product and promote private sector and start-up innovation in cyber and amphibious technologies.
- Strengthen Human Capital – Develop specialised tri-service cadres for cyber warfare and amphibious operations, with advanced training programmes and war-gaming exercises.
- Upgrade Strategic Infrastructure – Improve the resilience of the Defence Communication Network and create forward operating bases in strategically important coastal and island territories.
- Deepen Global Partnerships – Conduct more joint cyber and amphibious exercises with partner nations, and establish mechanisms for sharing threat intelligence.
Conclusion
The release of the joint doctrines for cyberspace operations and amphibious operations marks a decisive step in shaping India’s defence posture for the 21st century. By building integrated capabilities, fostering interoperability, investing in indigenous research, and deepening global partnerships, India can strengthen its preparedness against both conventional and unconventional threats.
9 Aug 2025
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