The Indian Army, in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, organised the Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 (CDD 2025), which centred on the national vision of a Sashakt, Surakshit and Viksit Bharat. It examined India’s security challenges and technological frontiers in an increasingly contested global landscape.
In her inaugural address on November 27, President of India commended the Indian Army for its role in strengthening national security and driving development in the border regions. She stated that India’s deterrence posture is anchored in moral clarity and responsible action, reflecting the country’s civilisational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
The President emphasised that new domains such as cyber, space and cognitive warfare demand forces that are technologically agile and future ready. She appreciated that the Indian Army is reforming doctrines, modernising structures and investing deeply in human capital including expanded engagements and opportunities for youth and women. She expressed confidence that these reforms will strengthen India’s journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Even as India has become a voice of balance and responsibility in the current global environment, no compromises will be made when it comes to the nation’s sovereignty and security, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at CDD 2025 on Friday, November 28, 2025.
An example of the same was seen in May 2025, when India launched retaliatory strikes against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. Having a no tolerance policy for terrorism, while India might not strike first, its armed forces sure know how to give a befitting reply to the enemy.
Defence Minister Singh deliberated on India’s growing defence capacities and praised the armed forces for their readiness to face neighbourhood challenges, during his address at CDD-2025. With this, he reiterated that India believes in peace and dialogue, but it will always give a befitting reply when it comes to the sovereignty and the security.
Today, we are going through a period of deep geopolitical uncertainty with the power centers shifting. “New alignments are being tested, and the nature of conflict itself is evolving,” the defence minister stated, noting that India is shaping global discussions of the current times.
He asserted that India is shaping global discussions of today with a sense of responsibility, strategic autonomy & confidence rooted in civilisational values, and the global trust it has earned is due to the path-breaking reforms, and its consistent stand for respect of sovereignty of nations and rules-based order.
“India believes in peace and dialogue, but when it comes to the sovereignty & security of the people, we do not compromise”, he stressed.
Through Aatmanirbharta, we are building a defence industrial ecosystem that encourages innovation, supports industry, and reduces external dependencies. We are investing in start-ups, deep-tech capabilities, and R&D that will shape the battlefields of the future. We are ensuring that the interests and welfare of our soldiers, veterans and their families remain central to our decision-making,” the defence minister stated.
Advocating that resilience is as important as capability, the defence minister stated that a resilient India can absorb shocks, adapt quickly, and continue moving forward irrespective of the circumstances.
“Our Armed Forces bring stability where it is needed most. They support civil authorities in times of disaster. They safeguard our maritime interests. They strengthen our international partnerships through joint exercises and peacekeeping. Their professionalism builds confidence – not only within India, but also among our friends around the world. That’s why reform and modernisation in the Armed Forces are not just administrative tasks; they are investments in India’s long-term future,” he said.
In his keynote address, the Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, underlined that the Chanakya Defence Dialogue has evolved into a vital platform since its inception in 2023, reflecting the Indian Army’s commitment to comprehensive transformation.
He noted that India operates in an increasingly multipolar and turbulent world marked by rising multidomain conflicts, making it imperative for the military to remain decisive and future ready. Guided by the Prime Minister’s 5S vision of Sammaan, Samvad, Sehyog, Samridhi and Suraksha (respect, dialogue, cooperation, prosperity and security), he outlined the Army’s three-phase transformation pathway: HOP 2032 for accelerated transition, STEP 2037 for consolidation and JUMP 2047 for an integrated, next-generation force design.
Highlighting the success of recent reforms, he identified four key drivers for the next leap: Deeper self-reliance through indigenisation, Faster innovation in critical technologies, Systemic adaptation of defence structures and Stronger military–industry–academia fusion. He expressed confidence that CDD 2025 will generate actionable insights for this journey.
Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, in his address, underlined 2025 as the Ministry of Defence’s “Year of Reforms” and positioned defence self-reliance as central to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
He highlighted that 75% of the capital procurement budget is now earmarked for domestic industry, with a dedicated share for the private sector, driving indigenisation, innovation, and a growing defence industrial base. Emphasising the strong GDP multiplier of domestic defence spending and the rapid rise in domestic production and exports, he stressed that technological and industrial strength in defence is now the foremost priority for safeguarding India’s national security in an increasingly turbulent global environment.
The CEO of NITI Aayog, BVR Subrahmanyam underlined that India’s future must be shaped in the midst of multiple global transitions- demographic, economic, technological, climatic and cultural – that are fundamentally altering the world order. He noted that as many advanced economies age and their populations shrink, Asia will drive global growth and trade, even as climate stress and rapid advances in technologies like artificial intelligence transform production, warfare and cognition itself.
In this context, he stressed that India, already among the world’s leading economies, must leverage its demographic window, build resilient democratic institutions, and pursue long-term national security and economic strategies anchored in defence modernisation, technological self-reliance and agile partnerships, so that India’s rise remains benign and beneficial for the wider world.
Prof K Vijay Raghavan, former Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, emphasised leveraging technology for enduring strategic superiority through three parallel investment streams.
In the short term (0-3 years), he advocated agility via startups, academics and retrofitting legacy platforms with sensors and AI for asymmetric warfare, prioritising 80% solutions now over perfect ones later. Mid-term (3-10 years) to focus on controlling value chains, indigenous software for unpredictable systems and a level playing field for private sector R&D.
He said that the long-term (10-30 years) demands bold investments in basic science like materials, biotech and cognitive warfare to avoid dependency, urging a Defence Technology Council for mission-driven acceleration toward Viksit Bharat@2047.
The Inaugural day of CDD 2025 also featured three substantive thematic sessions that brought together senior policymakers, defence leaders, strategic experts and industry voices.
These sessions covered a wide spectrum of issues, beginning with Op SINDOOR: A Sovereign Strategic Victory, followed by Changing Status Quo: Vitalising Defence Reforms, and concluding with Civil–Military Fusion: Drivers for Change. Each session explored contemporary challenges and future pathways in national security, defence transformation and India’s strategic posture.
Across two days, the CDD 2025 aimed to create a comprehensive platform for strategic deliberation on India’s future security architecture. With powerful guidance from the Hon’ble President of India, Defence Minister, senior military leadership, policymakers, global experts and scholars, CDD 2025 will reinforce the Indian Army’s commitment to shaping a strong, secure and developed India. The Dialogue underlined that India’s strategic transformation will be driven by moral clarity, technological excellence, deeper self-reliance and whole-of-nation approach.
