The two-day national seminar on Multi Domain Operations - Ran Samwad kicks off in Bengaluru
1. At a Glance
- Ran Samwad is a tri-service strategic seminar under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), conceived as India's flagship forum on war, warfare and warfighting [S1][S3].
- The 2nd edition (2026) was held in Bengaluru on 9–10 April 2026, hosted by Air Force Training Command, themed on Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) [S1][S2].
- UPSC relevance: showcases India's evolving joint warfighting doctrine, the theatre command project, and the conceptual shift to fighting across six domains — land, sea, air, space, cyber and cognitive [S1].
2. Why in the News
- Inauguration on 9 April 2026 of the second edition of Ran Samwad in Bengaluru by CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, themed "MDO: An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats" [S1].
- Conclusion on 10 April 2026 with a "collaborative road map" to prepare the Indian Armed Forces for multi-domain conflict [S2].
- CNS statement that India is on course to a 200-plus ship Navy by 2035, focused on modularity and tech evolution [S1].
3. Background & Evolution
- Inaugural edition (Ran Samwad-2025) held at Army War College, Mhow (Madhya Pradesh) — first-of-its-kind tri-service seminar on war, warfare and warfighting [S4][S5].
- At the 2025 edition, CDS released Joint Doctrines for Special Forces Operations and Airborne & Heliborne Operations [S6].
- Precursor concept: Indian Army's DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021 national seminar on Multi-Domain Operations: Future of Conflicts [S7].
- Earlier joint doctrines underpinning MDO: Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations (2024) and Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations (2024) released by CDS Gen Anil Chauhan [S8][S9].
4. Core Static Facts
- Event: Ran Samwad (2nd edition) — tri-service strategic seminar [S1].
- Dates: 9–10 April 2026 [S1][S2].
- Venue: Air Force Training Command, Bengaluru [S1][S2].
- Aegis: Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS); organiser — Air Force Training Command [S1].
- Inaugurated by: CDS General Anil Chauhan [S1].
- Theme: "Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats" [S1][S2].
- Six MDO domains: land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive [S1].
- Participants: senior officers of the three services, academicians, think-tank scholars, industry experts, and Foreign Service Attachés from friendly nations [S1].
- Parent ministry: Ministry of Defence (Department of Military Affairs, headed by CDS) [S1].
5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Strategic / Doctrinal
- COAS framing: "MDO is not about six domains operating in parallel, but in constant and dynamic interaction, where the weight shifts and the lead changes" [S1].
- CDS (closing): MDO requires convergence across physical, synthetic and cognitive realms [S2].
- Aligns with India's ongoing theatreisation push under the CDS/DMA.
- Scientific / Technological
- Targets space, cyber and cognitive domains alongside conventional kinetic forces — signalling investment in EW, AI, cyber and space-based ISR [S1].
- Navy modernisation: 200+ ship force by 2035, with focus on modularity and technological evolution (CNS) [S1].
- Administrative / Joint Structures
- Hosted by IDS HQ — the inter-service body that anchors integration and the future theatre command system [S1].
- Rotational hosting: Army War College (2025) → Air Force Training Command (2026) — illustrates tri-service ownership [S1][S5].
- Geopolitical
- Engagement of Foreign Service Attachés signals defence diplomacy and interoperability messaging [S1].
- Backdrop: addressing both conventional (state) and irregular (sub-conventional, hybrid) threats [S1].
- Ethical / Governance
- Inclusion of cognitive domain raises issues of information warfare, disinformation, and norms around non-kinetic effects on civilian populations.
6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)
- April 2026: Ran Samwad 2026, Bengaluru — 2nd edition [S1][S2].
- 2025: Inaugural Ran Samwad at Army War College, Mhow; CDS released Joint Doctrines for Special Forces Operations and Airborne & Heliborne Operations [S5][S6].
- 2024: CDS released Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations and Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations [S8][S9].
- 2025: Government extended the service of Gen Anil Chauhan as CDS and Secretary, DMA [S10].
7. Prelims Hooks
- Ran Samwad is held under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) — not the Army HQ [S1].
- 2nd edition venue: Air Force Training Command, Bengaluru (9–10 April 2026) [S1][S2].
- 1st edition (2025) venue: Army War College, Mhow, Madhya Pradesh [S5].
- The six MDO domains in Indian doctrine: land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive [S1].
- CDS: General Anil Chauhan [S1][S10].
- Indian Navy target: 200+ ships by 2035 (stated by CNS at Ran Samwad 2026) [S1].
- Joint Doctrines released at Ran Samwad-2025: Special Forces Operations; Airborne & Heliborne Operations [S6].
- Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations released by CDS in 2024 [S8].
- Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations released by CDS in 2024 [S9].
- Predecessor Army seminar on MDO: DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021 [S7].
- 2026 theme: MDO — "An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats" [S1].
- Foreign Service Attachés are among participants — denoting defence diplomacy dimension [S1].
8. Mains Relevance
- GS Paper III — Security: "Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate"; "Challenges to Internal Security through Communication Networks"; "Role of External State and Non-State Actors"; defence technology.
- GS Paper II — Governance: institutions like CDS/DMA, IDS HQ; defence reforms.
- Indicative question stems: 1. "Multi-Domain Operations represent the next leap in India's military doctrine after jointmanship. Examine the institutional and technological pre-requisites for operationalising MDO." (GS-III) 2. "Discuss the role of the Chief of Defence Staff and Integrated Defence Staff in driving tri-service integration in India." (GS-II/III) 3. "Cognitive and cyber domains are blurring the line between war and peace. Critically analyse India's preparedness." (GS-III)
9. Related Topics to Study Next
- Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) & Department of Military Affairs (DMA) — institutional anchor of MDO [S10].
- Theatre Commands / Integrated Theatre Commands — operational manifestation of jointness.
- Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace / Amphibious / Air-Land Operations — doctrinal corpus [S8][S9].
- Defence Space Agency & Defence Cyber Agency — tri-service agencies for new domains.
- Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence / iDEX / Positive Indigenisation Lists — tech backbone for MDO.
- Indian Navy modernisation & 200-ship plan — capability roadmap [S1].
- Information / Cognitive warfare and hybrid threats — irregular threats dimension.
- DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021 — Indian Army's earlier MDO seminar [S7].
10. Common Errors / Trap Areas
- Confusing Ran Samwad (tri-service, IDS) with single-service seminars like DIVYA-DRISHTI (Indian Army) [S1][S7].
- Wrong venue mapping: 2025 → Mhow (Army War College); 2026 → Bengaluru (Air Force Training Command) [S5][S1].
- Listing only four/five MDO domains — Indian doctrine explicitly enumerates six: land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive [S1].
- Attributing the seminar to Army HQ; it is under HQ IDS [S1].
- Mixing the 200-ship by 2035 target (Indian Navy/CNS) with general MoD figures [S1].
11. Sources
- [S1] The two-day national seminar on Multi Domain Operations – Ran Samwad kicks off in Bengaluru — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2250618 — (tier: 1)
- [S2] Ran Samwad 2026 Concludes with a Collaborative Road Map — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2250982 — (tier: 1)
- [S3] Tri-Service Seminar 'Ran Samwad' to be held on April 09-10, 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2249422 — (tier: 1)
- [S4] Decisive joint responses across domains… CDS at RAN SAMWAD — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2160900 — (tier: 1)
- [S5] Stage set for RAN SAMWAD-2025 at Army War College, MP — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2160571 — (tier: 1)
- [S6] CDS releases Joint Doctrines for Special Forces & Airborne/Heliborne Operations at RAN SAMWAD — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2161134 — (tier: 1)
- [S7] DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021: Indian Army's National Seminar on MDO — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1697185 — (tier: 1)
- [S8] CDS releases Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2026240 — (tier: 1)
- [S9] CDS releases Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations — https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2053135 — (tier: 1)
- [S10] Govt extends service of Gen Anil Chauhan as CDS — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2170934 — (tier: 1)