The appointment of a new Chief of Army Staff with experience in both conventional and counter-insurgency operations reflects India's evolving security doctrine. Discuss the challenges the Indian Army faces in balancing conventional deterrence with sub-conventional threats.

General Dhiraj Seth, an Armoured Corps officer who has commanded a strike corps, two Western-Front commands and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu & Kashmir, took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff in June 2026 [1][2]. His hybrid profile mirrors the Army's twin doctrinal imperative: deterring conventional aggression while managing persistent sub-conventional threats.

Conventional deterrence challenges

• Two-front dilemma: simultaneous readiness against a collusive China–Pakistan threat strains force ratios and reserves.
• Modernisation gap: mechanised, artillery and air-defence upgrades compete with revenue-heavy expenditure and import dependence.
• Theaterisation transition: creating Integrated Theatre Commands demands jointness across services, still evolving under the CDS and Department of Military Affairs [3].

Sub-conventional threats challenges

• Grey-zone and proxy war: cross-border terrorism, drones and radicalisation demand manpower-intensive, restraint-bound responses below the nuclear threshold.
• Doctrinal tension: strike-corps offensive postures suit conventional war, but counter-insurgency needs population-centric, intelligence-led operations — different training and mindsets.
• Resource competition: troops locked in internal-security duties dilute conventional preparedness.

Balancing dilemma

• Force structuring must hedge both ends without over-committing to either; capability and doctrine cannot be optimised for one threat alone.

The appointment signals a doctrine seeking versatility over specialisation. The way forward lies in accelerating jointness and theaterisation [3][4], investing in intelligence, drones and indigenous platforms, and building dual-capable formations — ensuring the Army deters full-spectrum threats while upholding civilian-led, restrained use of force.