The inaugural Ran Samwad conclave, hosted at the Army War College in Mhow on 26-27 August 2025, represents a watershed moment in India’s evolution as a strategic defence power. Coming just months after Operation Sindoor demonstrated the combat effectiveness of indigenous military systems, this first-of-its-kind tri-services dialogue signals New Delhi’s ambition to reshape both military doctrine and global defence discourse.

Unlike traditional security conferences dominated by retired officials and diplomats, Ran Samwad places serving officers at the centre of discussions about future warfare, marking a decisive shift towards practitioner-led strategic thinking.

CDS Anil Chauhan’s emphasis that “jointmanship is no longer aspirational" but rather “a foundation of our ongoing transformation" encapsulates the Modi government’s systematic approach to modernising India’s defence architecture.

The conclave’s timing, following Operation Sindoor’s validation of indigenous defence capabilities, underscores how India’s military-industrial transformation has created both the confidence and the technological foundation necessary for such ambitious strategic initiatives.

Operation Sindoor’s execution in May 2025 fundamentally altered our defence trajectory, demonstrating India’s indigenous military capabilities under combat conditions. The operation’s success stemmed directly from the Modi government’s systematic investment in domestic defence manufacturing since 2014, with indigenous systems playing decisive roles across all operational domains.

The Akash missile system, developed entirely by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, successfully neutralised multiple Pakistani drone and missile attacks targeting Indian installations from Srinagar to Bhuj. Indian forces employed the SWATHI weapon-locating radar system to track enemy artillery positions, while the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system delivered precision strikes across multiple targets.

These systems, manufactured by Indian public and private sector entities, operated seamlessly within a network-centric warfare framework that included indigenous satellite communications and electronic warfare capabilities. The combat effectiveness of these systems under real operational conditions provided the Modi government with compelling evidence that India’s defence industrial base had achieved........

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