From Hybrid Threats to High-Risk Missions: Inside India’s Special Forces Doctrine

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan unveiled India’s first joint doctrine on Special Forces at Ran Samvad 2025, Mhow, stressing synergy across services, interoperability, agility, and technological edge to counter hybrid threats in evolving warfare.

Mhow: The necessity for specially trained, motivated and equipped troops capable of executing high-risk missions under adverse conditions is unequivocal amid fast evolving character of warfare, technological advancements, expansion of battle-space from traditional to non-traditional domains and with emergence of hybrid threats. 

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan along with military leaders unveiled the joint doctrine on Special Forces operations two days ago at Ran Samvad 2025 at Army War College, Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.

Paving the way for greater interoperability and synergy, the joint doctrine seeks the Special Forces to cultivate agility, technological sophistication, strategic depth and a holistic operational mindset in an effort to have the upper hand over the adversary.

Characterized by complexity, unpredictability and rapid technological change, each Service continues to function within the purview of its respective doctrinal constructs for the Special Forces, but the evolving nature of conflict necessitated a joint doctrinal framework, CDS Gen Chauhan said.

This joint doctrine envisaged as a foundational reference to facilitate joint planning, execution and capacity building for Special Forces in consonance with emerging roles and missions of the 21st century.

The CDS also said that the doctrine provides a strategic and operational-level framework while maintaining the flexibility for adaptation to Service specific roles.

“It must, however, remain a living document—subject to periodic review and realignment with the evolving threat matrix, technological advancements and operational experience.”

Why is joint doctrine on Special Forces required?

It provides a cohesive doctrinal framework for integrated development, planning and employment of Special Forces.

It promotes synergy across the three services, harmonizing existing Service-specific doctrines whilst preserving the operational uniqueness of each.

It also reflects convergence of operational philosophies, beliefs and core tenets of the Army, Navy and Air Force Special Forces, into a unified and coherent approach.

It undergirds strategic and operational planning processes and facilitates capability enhancement through joint training, interoperability and standardized procedures.

The joint doctrine draws from operational lessons as gleaned from contemporary conflicts and remains dynamic in construct.

Enablers for Special Forces Operation

Since the Special Forces are employed for high value targets and often early in a campaign, they have to be dependent on other national resources, agencies for support in terms of intelligence, logistics, command, control, communications, air and space support, fire support, environment, meteorological data, legal support among others.

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