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 [1][3].
• 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) [1][2].
• 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 [1].

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" [1].
• Conclusion on 10 April 2026 with a "collaborative road map" to prepare the Indian Armed Forces for multi-domain conflict [2].
• CNS statement that India is on course to a 200-plus ship Navy by 2035, focused on modularity and tech evolution [1].

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 [4][5].
• At the 2025 edition, CDS released Joint Doctrines for Special Forces Operations and Airborne & Heliborne Operations [6].
• Precursor concept: Indian Army's DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021 national seminar on Multi-Domain Operations: Future of Conflicts [7].
• Earlier joint doctrines underpinning MDO: Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations (2024) and Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations (2024) released by CDS Gen Anil Chauhan [8][9].

4. Core Static Facts

• Event: Ran Samwad (2nd edition) — tri-service strategic seminar [1].
• Dates: 9–10 April 2026 [1][2].
• Venue: Air Force Training Command, Bengaluru [1][2].
• Aegis: Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS); organiser — Air Force Training Command [1].
• Inaugurated by: CDS General Anil Chauhan [1].
• Theme: "Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats" [1][2].
• Six MDO domains: land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive [1].
• Participants: senior officers of the three services, academicians, think-tank scholars, industry experts, and Foreign Service Attachés from friendly nations [1].
• Parent ministry: Ministry of Defence (Department of Military Affairs, headed by CDS) [1].

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" [1].
• CDS (closing): MDO requires convergence across physical, synthetic and cognitive realms [2].

• 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 [1].

• Navy modernisation: 200+ ship force by 2035, with focus on modularity and technological evolution (CNS) [1].

• Administrative / Joint Structures

• Hosted by IDS HQ — the inter-service body that anchors integration and the future theatre command system [1].

• Rotational hosting: Army War College (2025) → Air Force Training Command (2026) — illustrates tri-service ownership [1][5].

• Geopolitical

• Engagement of Foreign Service Attachés signals defence diplomacy and interoperability messaging [1].

• Backdrop: addressing both conventional (state) and irregular (sub-conventional, hybrid) threats [1].

• 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 [1][2].
• 2025: Inaugural Ran Samwad at Army War College, Mhow; CDS released Joint Doctrines for Special Forces Operations and Airborne & Heliborne Operations [5][6].
• 2024: CDS released Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations and Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations [8][9].
• 2025: Government extended the service of Gen Anil Chauhan as CDS and Secretary, DMA [10].

7. Prelims Hooks

• Ran Samwad is held under the aegis of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) — not the Army HQ [1].
• 2nd edition venue: Air Force Training Command, Bengaluru (9–10 April 2026) [1][2].
• 1st edition (2025) venue: Army War College, Mhow, Madhya Pradesh [5].
• The six MDO domains in Indian doctrine: land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive [1].
• CDS: General Anil Chauhan [1][10].
• Indian Navy target: 200+ ships by 2035 (stated by CNS at Ran Samwad 2026) [1].
• Joint Doctrines released at Ran Samwad-2025: Special Forces Operations; Airborne & Heliborne Operations [6].
• Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace Operations released by CDS in 2024 [8].
• Joint Doctrine for Amphibious Operations released by CDS in 2024 [9].
• Predecessor Army seminar on MDO: DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021 [7].
• 2026 theme: MDO — "An Imperative for Addressing Conventional and Irregular Threats" [1].
• Foreign Service Attachés are among participants — denoting defence diplomacy dimension [1].

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 [10].
• Theatre Commands / Integrated Theatre Commands — operational manifestation of jointness.
• Joint Doctrine for Cyberspace / Amphibious / Air-Land Operations — doctrinal corpus [8][9].
• 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 [1].
• Information / Cognitive warfare and hybrid threats — irregular threats dimension.
• DIVYA-DRISHTI 2021 — Indian Army's earlier MDO seminar [7].

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing Ran Samwad (tri-service, IDS) with single-service seminars like DIVYA-DRISHTI (Indian Army) [1][7].
• Wrong venue mapping: 2025 → Mhow (Army War College); 2026 → Bengaluru (Air Force Training Command) [5][1].
• Listing only four/five MDO domains — Indian doctrine explicitly enumerates six: land, sea, air, space, cyber, cognitive [1].
• Attributing the seminar to Army HQ; it is under HQ IDS [1].
• Mixing the 200-ship by 2035 target (Indian Navy/CNS) with general MoD figures [1].