Bengaluru, India: Senior Indian Air Force leadership has reinforced the strategic imperative of Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), describing it as an operational reality rather than theoretical jargon, during the opening technical session of ‘Ran Samwad 2026’.
In Session 1, titled ‘Evolution of MDO & Global Trends’, Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South Western Air Command (SWAC), delivered a pointed and insightful address that underscored the transformed nature of modern conflict. One of the Indian Air Force’s most experienced operational commanders, Air Marshal Singh told the audience that MDO “isn’t just new jargon, it’s the new normal.”
He painted a comprehensive picture of today’s battlespace, stating that it now extends across six critical domains: land, sea, air, space, cyber, and the cognitive domain. “Victory in future conflicts will depend on our ability to integrate kinetic and non-kinetic effects with speed and precision,” he emphasised.
Drawing on lessons from recent global conflicts, the Air Marshal highlighted that information superiority and decision dominance have become as decisive as traditional firepower. He noted that the side able to sense, decide, and act faster across domains consistently holds a significant advantage, often determining outcomes well before major kinetic engagements occur.
Air Marshal Singh’s remarks aligned closely with the seminar’s central theme, ‘Multi Domain Operations: An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats’. His perspective carried particular weight given his command of South Western Air Command, which shoulders significant operational responsibility along India’s western frontier and maritime approaches.
The session formed part of the broader *Ran Samwad 2026* deliberations, a practitioner-driven national seminar hosted by the Indian Air Force at the Air Force Technical College, Bengaluru, under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS). The two-day event brings together senior tri-service officers, defence analysts, academics, industry leaders, and international delegates to examine the complexities of contemporary warfare.
Earlier in the same session, Lt Gen Devendra Sharma, GOC-in-C Army Training Command, had called for a fundamental re-imagining of operational art to suit the multi-domain environment, setting the stage for a rich exchange of ideas on doctrinal evolution and capability requirements.
‘Ran Samwad’, now in its second edition, has quickly become a significant platform for candid strategic dialogue on jointness, integration, and future warfighting concepts. With proceedings being live-streamed, the seminar is reaching a wide professional audience both within India and abroad.
As the event continues into its second day, participants are expected to delve deeper into training philosophies, civil-military fusion, and the technological enablers necessary for effective multi-domain operations in India’s unique threat landscape.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
