Indian Army next-gen warfare: The Indian Army has started the first stage of a huge change plan which they call the ‘Decade of Transformation,’ running from 2023 to 2032. This announcement came on Vijay Diwas, July 26, from Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi. The army is bringing in new units and formations while mixing its old strengths with the newest war technology. These steps are happening as India celebrates 79 years of independence.
General Dwivedi explained the idea behind the change in very clear words. According to ET he said, “The Indian Army today is effectively addressing contemporary challenges while rapidly advancing as a transformed, modern, and future-oriented force.”
He also spoke about how every infantry battalion now got its own drone platoons, while artillery has gained more power through new systems. “Every infantry battalion now includes drone platoons, while the artillery’s lethality has been significantly enhanced through Divyastra Batteries and loitering munitions batteries. The Army Air Defence is being equipped with indigenous missile systems.”
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So the army is going through not just small adjustments, but a complete rebuild of how it fights. New groups like Rudra Brigades, Bhairav Battalions, Divyastra Batteries, and Shaktibaan units are all part of this larger effort. Each one of them has different tasks, but together they aim to make the army faster, stronger, and smarter in modern battles.
New Bhairav Battalions
The Army is boosting air defence with two regiments of Akash Prime missiles for high-altitude areas near China and three regiments of Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles (QRSAM), worth Rs 36,000 crore. These mobile systems, shared with the Air Force, can strike threats up to 30 km away and already proved effective in Operation Sindoor by stopping drone and missile attacks from Pakistan, including Turkish and Chinese systems.
By August’s end, the Army will also raise five Bhairav Battalions, special units between infantry and elite forces. They handle urgent, tough missions, freeing elite troops for deeper, high-priority tasks.
The army is also making Bhairav light commando units for fast action near borders. These are raised from regular infantry but given better weapons, drones, and training. The goal is to eventually create between 40 and 50 Bhairav battalions. Their role will be sudden raids, cross-border action, and quick strikes that create shock and fear in the enemy. The word Bhairav itself means “the terrifying one,” which shows what the army expects from them.
Rudra, Divyastra and Shaktibaan
The change is not only in infantry. Two brigades have already been turned into Rudra Brigades. These are mixed groups that bring infantry, tanks, and artillery all under one command. Instead of working separately, they now fight as one, giving the army more flexibility and power on the ground.
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The artillery too is shifting gears. Five regiments now include Divyastra Batteries. These mix traditional big guns with new drones and loitering munitions so they can hit both moving and still targets with accuracy. One officer explained, “The primary goal of Divyastra batteries is to enhance the artillery’s firepower and operational effectiveness by enabling deep-strike capabilities, real-time target tracking, and precision engagement of both static and moving threats.”
At the same time, the army is forming Shaktibaan units. These will be very different because they won’t even use guns at all. They will depend only on drones and loitering munitions. That means they will work as pure technology-based strike forces, focusing on “see-and-strike” missions.
