India’s Next Battlefield: Air, Space, and Cyber Domains
By ICTpost Defence Team | New Delhi | May 13, 2025
In a display of military readiness, the Indian Air Force (IAF) recently launched “Operation Sindoor,” a mission that tested the service’s airlifting capabilities, rapid logistics, and coordinated response mechanisms. While initially characterized as a rescue operation, the mission pointed to a larger reality: India is preparing for future conflicts that transcend the traditional domains of land and sea—extending into air, space, and cyberspace.
This development comes at a time when global conflicts are evolving rapidly, pushing India to reassess its military strategy. At the heart of this recalibration is the growing possibility of a “dual-front war”—a simultaneous engagement with China to the east and Pakistan to the west. What was once a theoretical nightmare scenario is now becoming a distinct possibility, with developments along both borders signaling an increasingly coordinated challenge to India’s security.
The Changing Security Dynamics
China, in particular, has been rapidly expanding its military footprint, notably through its Western Theater Command, which now boasts new air bases, surveillance posts, and long-range missile capabilities. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) now operates more than 1,600 combat aircraft, including over 150 Chengdu J-20s, a fifth-generation stealth fighter designed for first-strike capability and air superiority. In parallel, China has been supplying Pakistan with Chengdu J-10C multirole fighters, bolstering Pakistan’s ability to execute advanced air missions with greater precision.
India’s fleet stands at approximately 620 aircraft, including the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, the Dassault Rafale, and legacy Mirage-2000s. Although indigenous programs like the Tejas Mark 2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) are underway, these platforms are still far from operational, leaving India at a technological disadvantage at a time when the regional military balance is shifting.
The doctrine – “Deterrence with Dominance” is designed not just to prevent conflict, but to create such overwhelming military and technological superiority that potential adversaries are deterred from even considering a confrontation. The strategy is characterized by both psychological and technical escalation, including China’s deployment of hypersonic glide vehicles, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, and advanced cyberwarfare capabilities.
For India, the challenge is no longer just defending its borders. It is about asserting a presence in the multidimensional battlefield of the future—where air superiority, space-based assets, and cyber capabilities will determine the course of conflicts.
A Step Forward: India’s Participation in the Global Combat Air Programme
One of the most significant developments for India in recent months has been Japan’s invitation to join the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a sixth-generation fighter jet development initiative led by Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The program, set to deliver a next-generation stealth aircraft by 2035, aims to integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted missions, multi-spectrum sensor fusion, drone teaming, and robust cybersecurity frameworks. India’s participation in GCAP could bridge its current technological gap in combat aviation, providing access to cutting-edge aerospace technologies and playing a key role in the development of future weapons systems.
Such collaborations are crucial as the nature of air warfare evolves. The future of aerial combat will likely be defined not by traditional dogfights, but by five key trends reshaping the battlefield:
- Swarm Drone Attacks: Both the U.S. and China are testing systems capable of launching over 100 autonomous drones in coordinated attacks, overwhelming traditional air defense systems.
- AI-Enabled Warfare: Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) will increasingly rely on AI for real-time decision-making, reducing the reliance on human pilots and enabling more efficient execution of missions.
- Space-Based Combat Capabilities: Real-time targeting using military satellites, jamming of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, and orbital reconnaissance will be essential to battlefield dominance.
- Hypersonic Missiles: Missiles capable of traveling at speeds exceeding Mach 5 will make interception by current air defense systems virtually impossible.
According to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and China’s PLA Strategic Support Force, nearly 40% of aerial combat missions are expected to be conducted by unmanned or AI-directed platforms by 2030. While India has made strides with programs like the Ghatak UCAV, Tejas MK2, and AMCA, delays in execution and inconsistent investment threaten to turn these projects into reactive measures rather than game-changers.
China-Pakistan Military Cooperation: A Strategic Challenge
India also faces the growing challenge of China’s increasing military cooperation with Pakistan. China has provided Pakistan with advanced systems, including the Wing Loong II drone, GPS-guided artillery, and surveillance technologies that enhance Pakistan’s ability to carry out precision strikes and surveillance. The growing frequency of joint exercises and technology transfers between China and Pakistan indicates a coordinated strategy aimed at pressuring India from two fronts.
This evolving strategic threat highlights the need for India to recalibrate its defense posture. India cannot afford to rely solely on legacy platforms and bureaucratic defense procurement cycles. Instead, three pillars should form the foundation of India’s military strategy: indigenous technological development, strategic international partnerships, and integrated command structures across all services.
Reinventing India’s Defense Strategy
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the private sector, must fast-track critical programs and remove bottlenecks in defense procurement. Public-private collaborations should be incentivized not just for production, but for innovation and export. Simultaneously, defense diplomacy must be proactive, engaging with key global players to secure high-value collaborations like GCAP.
While Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s ability to coordinate across multiple domains, future conflicts will unfold at a pace that current readiness levels may not accommodate. These wars will not be won or lost on the battlefield alone; they will be decided by algorithms, satellite networks, and drone swarms. Therefore, India must pursue technological dominance with the same intensity as territorial defense.
The Final Frontier: Space and Cyber Warfare
India’s ambitions in air superiority must extend beyond the atmosphere and into low Earth orbit. Strategic investments in space-based early warning systems, anti-satellite countermeasures, and AI-integrated battle networks are essential if India is to maintain parity, let alone achieve an advantage, in the coming decades.
The future of defense will demand not just military strength but a new approach to geopolitics, strategy, and technological engagement. editor@ictpost.com
