Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, has underscored a transformative shift in military doctrine, asserting that precision-guided munitions like the Scalp cruise missile and BrahMos supersonic missile have rendered traditional geographical barriers "almost meaningless" in the context of modern warfare.

This assessment draws heavily from India's recent Operation Sindoor, a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, during which India deployed advanced standoff weapons including Scalp, Hammer, and BrahMos missiles.

Transformation of Warfare Dynamics

Air Marshal Dixit emphasized that the advent of long-range, precision-guided munitions has fundamentally altered the relationship between distance and vulnerability. Where once the horizon defined the immediate threat, today's technology enables strikes on targets hundreds of kilometers away with pinpoint accuracy. As a result, traditional concepts such as front, rear, flanks, combat zones, and depth areas have become obsolete. The distinction between the front and the theatre of war has blurred, merging into a single, expansive battlespace.

Operation Sindoor: A Case Study

During Operation Sindoor, launched in the early hours of May 7, 2025, India struck terror and military installations deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir using standoff weapons. The operation involved precision strikes on nine terror camps and 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations, with targets ranging from 25 to 100 kilometers inside Pakistani territory. The use of Scalp and BrahMos missiles allowed Indian forces to neutralize key sites, including the headquarters of banned terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, without the constraints of geographical distance.

The effectiveness of these weapons was further demonstrated by the ability to disable airfields deep within Pakistani territory, complicating any potential aerial response. Indian drones also struck locations as far as Peshawar and Hyderabad, reflecting the extensive reach enabled by modern standoff weaponry.

Strategic Implications And The Role of Surveillance

Dixit highlighted that the lessons from Operation Sindoor reinforce the need for deep surveillance capabilities. In an era where hypersonic missiles and drone swarms can reach their targets before traditional decision-making cycles can respond, real-time or near-real-time surveillance is essential for survival and operational success. Surveillance and electro-optics, once considered force enhancers, are now foundational to military operations.

The officer also drew parallels with global conflicts such as Armenia-Azerbaijan, Russia-Ukraine, and Israel-Hamas, noting that the side with superior situational awareness—"the side that sees first, sees farthest and sees most accurately"—prevails. This new reality demands the extension of the surveillance envelope far beyond national borders, enabling detection and tracking of threats while they are still in staging areas deep within adversary territory.

Conclusion

Modern precision weapons like Scalp and BrahMos have revolutionized the conduct of warfare for India and globally. By negating the protective value of geographical barriers, these systems have forced a rethinking of military concepts and strategies. The experiences of Operation Sindoor illustrate that investment in long-range precision munitions and advanced surveillance not only enhances offensive capabilities but also significantly alters the strategic calculus, making distance and traditional defensive depth far less relevant in contemporary conflicts.

Agencies