4. Lessons for India from the Iran-Israel Crisis and Operation Rising Lion
The Iran-Israel crisis and Operation Rising Lion offer invaluable strategic and operational insights for India, particularly given its complex geopolitical environment and evolving security challenges. India faces a unique "3.5-front war" scenario, encompassing persistent challenges from Pakistan and China, internal security threats, and growing instability in neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar.
4.1 India's Evolving Doctrine: Proactive Deterrence and Calibrated Coercion
India's strategic calculus has demonstrably shifted, moving towards a more assertive posture centered on an evolving doctrine of "Proactive Deterrence underpinned by Calibrated Coercive Capability". This new doctrine redefines casus belli, treating major terror attacks not merely as criminal acts by non-state actors but as direct acts of war orchestrated and supported by a state.
Operation Sindoor, India's calibrated military response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, serves as a prime example of this evolving doctrine in action. Launched on May 7, 2025, it involved multi-domain precision strikes deep inside Pakistani territory against terrorist camps. The operation leveraged a composite air package including Rafale, Sukhoi-30MKIs, and Mirage-2000 aircraft, employing precision-guided munitions like SCALP and BrahMos missiles, along with Harop and SkyStriker drones.
4.2 Intelligence Integration and Covert Capabilities
Israel's success in Operation Rising Lion was inextricably linked to the deep integration and audacious execution of covert operations by Mossad, working in tandem with the IDF. The ability to establish a secret drone base and smuggle weapons systems into enemy territory to degrade air defenses prior to a major air assault is a testament to sophisticated intelligence penetration and operational synergy.
India possesses a robust intelligence apparatus, including the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for foreign intelligence, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for domestic counter-intelligence, and specialized technical agencies. The Israeli model emphasizes the proactive, offensive integration of intelligence assets to shape the battlefield before conventional forces engage. For India, this means moving beyond traditional intelligence gathering to actively employing assets for preemptive disruption of adversary capabilities, particularly in contested border regions or against state-sponsored non-state actors.
4.3 Special Operations Forces Modernization and Unified Command
Israel's reliance on "surgical operation of advanced technologies, special forces and agents operating in the heart of Iran" highlights the indispensable role of highly trained and equipped special operations forces (SOF) in modern warfare. India has recognized this imperative and is actively boosting its special forces' capabilities for covert warfare and deep strategic operations.
Indian special forces, including the Army's Para-Special Forces, IAF's Garud commandos, and Navy's MARCOS, are undergoing significant upgrades. They are being equipped with advanced technology such as loitering munitions, nano drones, surveillance copters with FLIR payloads, and specialized weaponry.
A crucial area for further development, however, is the establishment of a full-fledged Special Operations Command. While the creation of the Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD) has fostered "jointness and synergy" among the disparate forces , a unified command structure is essential for planning and executing strategic operations rather than merely tactical ones.
4.4 Indigenous Drone and AI Development
The Iranian counterstrike, characterized by "dozens of UAVs and close to 100 ballistic missiles" , and Israel's use of covert drones to strike missile launchers , underscore the transformative role of unmanned systems in contemporary conflict. For India, facing increasing drone proliferation from adversaries , accelerating indigenous drone and AI development is paramount.
India has made significant strides in its drone capabilities. Operation Sindoor saw the deployment of armed drones like Harop and Bengaluru-built SkyStriker suicide drones, capable of carrying 10kg warheads and operating as autonomous loitering munitions.
In the field of technology, self-reliance is extremely important because no country is willing to provide us with the most advanced technology. However, the technology we develop must be used in war and war-like situations, which helps us understand whether our weapon capabilities and technological capabilities are adequate. For example, we can use our BrahMos missiles, Akash Teer, and other 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) made weapons to assist countries in the South China Sea, and through this cooperation, we can understand how their capabilities work against China. This is because manufacturing weapons is not enough; it is also crucial to understand their effectiveness by using them in war-like situations or actual combat.
4.5 Multi-Domain Warfare and Strategic Communication
Operation Rising Lion and the Iranian counterstrike highlight that modern warfare is inherently multi-domain. Israel's success stemmed from its ability to synchronize kinetic strikes with deep intelligence, cyber operations, and information warfare. India's Operation Sindoor also marked a "strategic watershed" in South Asia, blending cyber, space, air, land, sea, and information warfare into a unified military doctrine.
India's shift towards Multi-Domain Warfare (MDW) is a response to asymmetric threats and hybrid warfare tactics. Operation Sindoor demonstrated India's formal synchronization of capabilities across all six domains. Cyber units launched preemptive strikes to disable military communications, satellite coordination provided real-time geospatial intelligence, and electronic jamming played a decisive role.
5. Conclusions and Recommendations for India
The Iran-Israel crisis and Operation Rising Lion serve as a stark illustration of the evolving nature of modern warfare, characterized by preemptive strikes, deep intelligence integration, multi-domain operations, and the critical role of advanced technologies. Israel's ability to effectively cripple an Iranian counterstrike was not accidental but the result of years of strategic planning, significant investment in covert capabilities, and seamless synergy between its intelligence agencies and conventional military forces.
For India, a nation navigating complex geopolitical fault lines and facing persistent hybrid threats, the lessons are clear and actionable:
Deepen Intelligence-Military Integration and Offensive Covert Capabilities: India must move beyond traditional intelligence collection to actively leverage its intelligence agencies, particularly R&AW and DIA, for preemptive, offensive operations that can degrade adversary capabilities from within. This requires enhanced funding, specialized training, and a clear mandate for clandestine operations that directly support conventional military objectives, mirroring Mossad's role in Operation Rising Lion.
Accelerate Indigenous Development of Advanced Military Technologies: The conflict underscores the critical importance of domestic capabilities in drones, AI, and advanced air defense systems. India must prioritize true indigenization of critical drone components—sensors, propulsion, and AI-driven autonomy—to counter the cost asymmetry of massed drone attacks. Investment in AI-driven command and control systems, like IACCS, should be amplified to ensure real-time threat detection and response.
Establish a Unified Special Operations Command: While AFSOD is a positive step, a full-fledged, unified Special Operations Command is essential to integrate the disparate special forces units (Para-SF, Garuds, MARCOS) under a single strategic umbrella. This would enable more cohesive planning and execution of complex, multi-domain special operations, including deep strategic strikes and covert intelligence-led missions.
Refine and Operationalize Multi-Domain Warfare Doctrine: India's "Sindoor Doctrine" is a strong foundation, but its practical application across all six domains (cyber, space, air, land, sea, information) must be continually refined. This involves investing in robust cyber warfare capabilities for preemptive strikes and defense, enhancing space-based ISR and targeting capabilities, and integrating electronic warfare seamlessly into all operational plans.
Strengthen Strategic Communication and Information Dominance: Drawing from Israel's efforts to shape narratives and influence adversary populations, India needs to develop a sophisticated and proactive strategic communication apparatus. This involves not only publicizing its defensive measures and military strength but also actively countering adversary propaganda and fostering public support for its national security objectives.
Long-Term Strategic Planning and a Comprehensive Approach to Adversary Threats: India must develop a long-term, comprehensive strategy to protect its national interests and effectively counter persistent threats. This includes not only responding to immediate threats but also anticipating future potential threats and developing the necessary capabilities to neutralize them.
By adopting these recommendations, India can bolster its "Proactive Deterrence" posture, ensuring it possesses the comprehensive capabilities to safeguard its national interests and respond decisively to evolving security challenges in the complex geopolitical landscape.
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