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Military Leadership for Tomorrow MILITARY leadership is characterised by the art and craft of committing available human and material resources against known and often unknown adversaries in a rapidly changing politico-military environment to achieve a desired task in the pursuit of larger national interests.
Digitisation of the battlefield has resulted in future military leaders having more to do with the assimilation and employment of information, technology and remotely operated systems to monitor and neutralise the enemy rather than leading frontal assaults or conducting armoured manoeuvre behind smoke screens. The tilt towards unconventional warfare as well as continuous proxy wars fought through virtually invisible, tech-savvy mercenaries capable striking with little or no forewarning at a place and time of their choosing is placing greater demands on the skills and abilities of commanders. The soldiers and junior leaders of today would be rising to face challenges and wield weapons or fight war far different from what the present generation of commanders is looking at. A great deal of emphasis and thought is needed for the constant evolution of military leadership—grooming officers from the first day on the parade ground in military academies, through their formative years as junior commanders and there on selection to the higher pedestals of those with irrefutable traits of integrity, professional wisdom, foresight and the ability to perceive and re-adjust. Military leadership does not encompass just the top brass, but in organisations that survive and thrive on the line-of-command structure, percolates down to the smallest unit or formation. It also brings into play the role of the political and bureaucratic establishment, for after all, in a democratic set-up military leadership is a sub-set of the national leadership dominated by elected and nominated civilians. This book brings together the views and opinions of about a dozen eminent experts, both Indian and foreign, well versed in the theory and practice of leadership and the knowledge that needs to be available to them. Perhaps by virtue of being published by an Air Force think thank, the book concentrates on air and space. The nature of aerospace power in the coming decades and emerging technologies, leadership training for the IAF and demands on future aerospace leaders, managing space capabilities, ethics and values are among issues discussed and debated in the 11 essays contained in the book. The authors delve upon conceptual and technological changes that have, over the years, defined the parameters of air warfare and the demands they have placed on commanders. While a couple foreign authors have talked about the experiences of the US Air Force, some issues specific to the Indian Air Force and recommendations on training concepts have also been highlighted. While dealing with matters pertaining to the Air Force, none of the authors, however, have referred to indoctrination, training and working towards joint operations with sister services—a basic pre-requite for contemporary and future military operations as well as for sub-conventional warfare. And, in the realm of technological dazzle and space-based systems, orienting military leaders towards integrating and employing special forces, crucial for any military organisation, as part of the overall force strategy, seems to be off the radar for military thinkers.
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Increasing complexities
and uncertainties in the security environment, with the battleground
shifting towards threats emanating from a conglomerate of radical
non-state operators spread across the globe and exploitation of
technology, are throwing up newer challenges for the military
leadership.