Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released the Indian Army's new Land Warfare Doctrine on Friday, October 23, on the final day of the Army Commanders' Conference in New Delhi, according to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release. Addressing the Army's senior leadership, he said the force must operate with a long-term strategic vision — planning 20 to 30 years ahead — while remaining equally prepared to respond to immediate and emerging challenges, and that strategy must stay dynamic and flexible.

Source: Press Information Bureau release, October 23, 2026 — Raksha Mantri to Army Commanders (via LearnThruPractice PIB note)

The doctrine provides an overarching framework to prepare the Indian Army to meet the challenges posed by the evolving character of warfare and future conflicts, the Ministry of Defence had said in its statement at the start of the conference, reported by ANI. The apex-level biannual conference, chaired by Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, ran from October 21 to 23 and reviewed operational preparedness, capability development and the force's future transformation.

Source: ANI via Devdiscourse — Army Commanders' Conference begins in New Delhi; Land Warfare Doctrine to be released (Oct 21, 2026)

20–30 yearsplanning horizon Rajnath Singh urged on Army commanders
Rs 1.78 lakh crorerecord defence production in FY 2025-26 — yaani about Rs 1.78 trillion
Rs 38,000 croredefence exports in FY 2025-26, an all-time high — yaani about Rs 380 billion
2018year of the previous Land Warfare Doctrine — the new document comes after about eight years

Technology, jointness and Operation Sindoor

The PIB release said the minister named artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, data analytics, cybersecurity and secure communication networks as areas where work must speed up, with a special focus on drones, and welcomed the Army's restructuring around drones and modern technology. He said land forces remain indispensable even as the air, maritime, space and cyber domains grow, and called for an integrated, multi-domain approach and seamless joint operations.

He credited innovative thinking, synergy, coordination and advanced weaponry for the success of Operation Sindoor, and listed greater participation of women and better manpower management among priority areas. At the same event he unveiled the Army's annual United Nations Journal and honoured personnel who have served as UN peacekeepers. CDS General N. S. Raja Subramani, Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh were among those present, the release said.

The new doctrine replaces the Army's previous Land Warfare Doctrine released in December 2018 and arrives as warfare increasingly spans drones, artificial intelligence, electronic and cyber warfare, information warfare and grey-zone actions below the threshold of conventional conflict, EuropeSays reported in its preview of the release.

Source: EuropeSays — Indian Army to unveil new warfare doctrine amid growing drone, AI and cyber threats (Oct 2026)

What is solid

  • PIB reported that Rajnath Singh addressed the Army Commanders' Conference on October 23, released the Land Warfare Doctrine and the annual UN Journal, and urged a 20–30 year planning horizon
  • The Ministry of Defence statement carried by ANI describes the doctrine as an overarching framework for the evolving character of warfare and future conflicts
  • PIB cited record defence production of Rs 1.78 lakh crore and defence exports of about Rs 38,000 crore in FY 2025-26 in the minister's address

What is only claimed

  • The doctrine's detailed provisions have not been published in the reports cited here; claims about its specific contents beyond the MoD's framework description should be treated as preview analysis, not as the document's text