Indian Army soldiers stand next to a M777 Howitzer positioned near the Line of Actual Control (LAC), … [+] neighbouring China, in India’s Arunachal Pradesh state on October 20, 2021. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images)

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The concepts underlying modern warfare have evolved over the past two years due to the intense and dynamic conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In particular, both sides adapted their military doctrine and tactics to better leverage the new technologies fielded onto the battlefield. Observing these developments, many countries have launched efforts to modernize their militaries based on insights gained from this conflict. Notably, India has undertaken several large initiatives to enhance its military systems, drawing from key lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Indian Army soldiers fire a 155mm FH 77B Bofors gun during Exercise Sarvatra Prahar at the School … [+] of Artillery in Devlali, on January 11, 2016. AFP PHOTO / INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP / INDRANIL MUKHERJEE (Photo credit should read INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP via Getty Images)

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India is in a precarious position, sharing its northwest boundary with Pakistan and its northeast boundary with China, both of which have historically strained relationships with India. India and Pakistan have fought a series of four wars with the most recent being in 1999. Their current relationship is adversarial, fueled by territorial disputes, terrorism, and ceasefire violations, with nuclear deterrence preventing full-scale conflict. Meanwhile, multiple regions along India’s 2,167-mile border with China have been disputed since the 1960s, following the Sino-Indian War. These disputes continue to lead to periodic low-level skirmishes, the most recent of which occurred in December 2022.

India, in an effort to better secure these borders, has taken lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, which has particularly highlighted the importance of standoff. Maintaining standoff allows defenders to target and neutralize threats before they can come within striking range, creating a buffer zone that complicates any offensive push. Offensive troop formations, such as supply depots and command posts, must be positioned well beyond this buffer zone. Therefore, the assaulting force must cross this extended zone, exposing themselves to sustained, long-range fire, which results in significant losses before they can even engage with the defensive positions. Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries have successfully achieved standoff through the use of artillery firepower coupled with drone strikes, effectively disrupting their adversary’s offensive operations.

NEW DELHI, INDIA, AUGUST 15: The team of scientists who pose in front of the Advanced Towed … [+] Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) used at Red Fort India to celebrates its 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2022 in New Delhi, India. (Photo by Pallava Bagla/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Given the importance of artillery in standoff, India has accelerated its modernization effort for their artillery systems. Similar to Ukraine, India is standardizing its heavy artillery to 155mm, the round size used by most Western countries. The Indian arsenal already includes some 155mm artillery pieces procured from Sweden and the United Kingdom. Further, India has an effort to replace many of its older 105mm cannons used along the Pakistani border, with newer 155mm Dhanush howitzers. Meanwhile, there has been an ongoing initiative by the Defence Research and Development Organization to develop the 155mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System to replace the Soviet-era 130mm M-46 field gun. The decade-long development effort is transitioning into fielding, as India plans to deploy the ATAGS along the Chinese and Pakistani border. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to modify the ATAGS for vehicle mounting, although this initiative is still in its early stages.

An Indian Navy technician prepares a Heron, an Israeli-made drone, for flight over the Porbandar … [+] airfield in Porbandar. on January 17, 2011. AFP PHOTO / Sam PANTHAKY (Photo credit should read SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images)

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While artillery has been the dominant weapon system in the Russia-Ukraine war, the war has also been characterized by its increasing use of drones. Drones were used for targeting and performing precision strikes often in conjunction with artillery to maintain standoff. India’s fleet of drones is limited, consisting primarily of Heron drones, medium-altitude, long-endurance systems procured from Israel. India is pursuing three separate initiatives to enhance its drone capabilities. First, it is acquiring 31 MQ-9 Reaper drones from the United States to boost surveillance and strike capabilities. Second, India is developing its own drones under the “Make-in-India” initiative. Specifically, they are developing the Rustom series of medium-altitude, long-endurance drones. Lastly, India is upgrading its existing Heron drones, improving their sensors and resilience against counter-drone systems, in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries. These efforts aim to build a stronger, more versatile drone fleet for India’s defense needs.

Read More:
Ukraine Is Now Able To Produce 155mm Artillery Shells And Howitzers

A model of AGNIKAA Harop loitering munition at the exhibition booth of Adani Defence and Aerospace … [+] during the DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, on Oct. 18, 2022. The exhibition is scheduled to run until Oct. 22. Photographer: T. Narayan/Bloomberg

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Loitering munitions, often referred to as “kamikaze drones,” have been increasingly used by both Russia and Ukraine to augment their artillery capabilities, enabling precision strikes. The Indian arsenal currently includes the Harop loitering munition, which is also procured from Israel. The Harop has a payload of approximately 23 kg, making it significantly larger than the Switchblades used by Ukraine but smaller than the Shahed-136 used by Russia. Additionally, India has launched an effort to bolster its supply of loitering munitions domestically. Artemon Aerospace, an Indian aerospace company, has partnered with Munitions India Limited to develop an advanced loitering munition system for the Indian Armed Forces.

Sun Tzu stated in The Art of War, “In peace, prepare for war; in war, prepare for peace.” Since India is not currently engaged in a conflict with Pakistan or China, it is the right time for them to prepare for such conflicts. The future battlefield is shaped by the current battlefield, so many of the technologies and tactics used in the Russia-Ukraine war will play a role in the next major conflict. As such, India is using the lessons learned from the war, including the importance of maintaining standoff through artillery and drones, to better prepare its national defenses.