Tri-services Future Warfare Course enters Cognitive and Cyber Warfare module in New Delhi
New Delhi, February 5. The third edition of the Tri-Services Future Warfare Course (FWC-3), currently underway at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, has entered a key phase with the commencement of its Cognitive and Cyber Warfare module, underscoring the Indian military’s growing focus on emerging domains of conflict.
Being conducted from February 2 to 25, 2026, the course is aimed at equipping officers with a comprehensive understanding of cyber, information and cognitive warfare, while fostering operational foresight and adaptive thinking to address the changing character of modern warfare.
Addressing participants, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), said future conflicts would increasingly be shaped by cyber and cognitive dimensions alongside conventional military operations. He noted that military decision-making, operational planning and strategic advantage would depend on the ability to operate effectively in complex information environments, counter adversarial influence campaigns and employ digital and cognitive tools. India’s preparedness in these domains, he emphasised, is critical to maintaining credible deterrence and operational superiority.
The module has brought together a diverse group of participants, including officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force, scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), academics, and representatives from the technology and defence industry. This multi-disciplinary mix has enabled a dynamic exchange of ideas on integrating cognitive and cyber capabilities across multi-domain operations.
Participants are also examining how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, neural networks and automated intelligence systems can be leveraged to gain operational advantage. The inclusion of industry and academic experts reflects the course’s emphasis on aligning operational requirements with technological innovation, offering insights into practical applications and evolving trends relevant to national security.
The Future Warfare Course combines theoretical frameworks with operational scenarios and multi-domain perspectives to prepare officers to address both conventional and non-conventional threats. FWC-3 will continue with modules on multi-domain operations, land, naval and air warfare, and will conclude with scenario-building exercises and presentations on operational problem statements, aimed at developing actionable strategies to safeguard India’s operational edge in an evolving global security environment.
