How Sideling Artillery Affects India’s National Security in Modern Warfare?
National security debates often focus on diplomacy, budgets, or headline-grabbing weapon systems. Far less visible—but far more consequential—is how military doctrines evolve, how leadership is aligned with battlefield realities, and how core combat arms are valued within the institutional structure of the armed forces. The article highlighted in the image, authored by Vinay Shankar, brings this uncomfortable truth into sharp focus by examining the gradual sidelining of artillery and its implications for India’s national security.
Artillery has historically been described as the “God of War,” not as rhetoric but as recognition of its decisive influence on the outcome of battles. From Napoleonic campaigns to World War II and later conflicts, artillery dominance has shaped manoeuvre, morale, and momentum. Yet, as the modern Indian battlefield has evolved, questions arise about whether institutional priorities, leadership pathways, and doctrinal thinking have kept pace with reality.
Artillery’s Historic Role in Indian Military Success
India’s post-Independence military history repeatedly underscores the importance of artillery. During the 1971 war, particularly on the eastern front, coordinated artillery fire played a central role in breaking enemy resistance, supporting manoeuvre, and accelerating operational success. Artillery was not merely a supporting arm; it was a campaign-shaping instrument.
Over time, however, organisational memory fades. As new technologies emerge and new narratives dominate strategic discourse, the contribution of artillery risks being reduced to a background function. This is not a question of nostalgia but of operational logic. Firepower, when integrated intelligently with manoeuvre and intelligence, remains decisive—especially in contested, high-intensity environments.
Leadership Alignment and Doctrinal Drift
One of the core arguments raised is not about equipment shortages alone, but about leadership orientation. When command structures disproportionately favour certain combat arms, doctrinal balance begins to erode. Over decades, this can influence how wars are conceptualised, planned, and fought.
Modern warfare demands leaders who understand combined arms integration—infantry, armour, artillery, air power, cyber, and space—working as a single system. Sideling artillery in leadership grooming risks narrowing operational thinking. Battles are then approached through limited lenses, where firepower is reactive rather than decisive.
This misalignment becomes more dangerous as adversaries modernise. Potential opponents invest heavily in long-range fires, precision-guided munitions, electronic warfare, and sensor-shooter integration. In such an environment, neglecting artillery leadership depth is not a theoretical flaw—it is a strategic vulnerability.
Technology Has Not Reduced Artillery’s Relevance
A common misconception is that missiles, drones, and air power have replaced artillery. In reality, technology has amplified artillery’s importance. Precision guidance, real-time surveillance, and digital command systems have transformed guns from blunt instruments into precision tools.
Artillery today operates across extended ranges, integrates with satellites and UAVs, and delivers effects with unprecedented accuracy. It shapes the battlefield before infantry advances, protects armoured thrusts, and disrupts enemy command and logistics. Ignoring this evolution risks anchoring doctrine in outdated assumptions.
Modern conflicts—from Eastern Europe to West Asia—demonstrate that sustained artillery fire remains a core determinant of battlefield endurance. High-tech systems supplement, not substitute, the continuous pressure that artillery provides.
National Security Implications of Institutional Imbalance
When institutional priorities drift away from operational reality, the cost is paid during crises. Sideling artillery leadership can weaken deterrence, slow response times, and reduce battlefield flexibility. National security is not compromised by a single decision but by cumulative neglect.
India’s security environment is uniquely complex—mountain warfare, plains, deserts, coastlines, and emerging cyber-space challenges coexist. Artillery provides adaptable firepower across these terrains. Treating it as a secondary arm undermines the very versatility required to manage multi-domain threats.
A balanced force structure is not about inter-arm rivalry. It is about ensuring that strategic thinking reflects battlefield truth rather than institutional inertia.
Strategic preparedness, like investing, rewards balance and punishes blind spots. Whether in defence planning or market positioning, ignoring core fundamentals can prove costly when volatility strikes.
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The Way Forward: Rebalancing Doctrine and Leadership
The argument is not for nostalgia or rigid hierarchies, but for adaptive leadership. Artillery officers must be integrated into strategic planning, command pathways must reflect combined-arms realities, and doctrine must be continuously stress-tested against real conflict data.
India’s long-term security depends on recognising that wars are not won by platforms alone, but by coherent systems led by leaders who understand every component of the battlefield. Artillery remains one such indispensable component.
Investor Takeaway
Derivative Pro & Nifty Expert Col Gulshan Khera, CFP®, believes that whether in markets or national security, structural balance matters more than short-term optics. Sustainable strength is built by recognising core drivers, avoiding institutional blind spots, and aligning leadership with ground realities rather than narratives. A disciplined, system-level perspective helps both nations and investors navigate uncertainty with resilience. More informed analysis and guidance is available at Indian-Share-Tips.com, which is a SEBI Registered Advisory Services.
SEBI Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Readers must perform their own due diligence and consult a registered investment advisor before making any investment decisions. The views expressed are general in nature and may not suit individual investment objectives or financial situations.
Written by Indian-Share-Tips.com, which is a SEBI Registered Advisory Services
