Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said India cannot win modern wars with outdated weapons, underscoring the importance of cutting-edge technologies in warfare and the country's urgent need to upgrade its defence capabilities with a focus on indigenous weapons.

The country's top military general also underlined the growing role of drones in modern warfare, saying recent conflicts globally demonstrated how drones could “shift tactical balance disproportionately” and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs (drones) and counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) was a “strategic imperative” for India.

“Today’s warfare must be fought with tomorrow’s technology…. We can’t win today’s warfare with yesterday’s weapon systems,” he said while addressing a defence workshop at Manekshaw Centre in Delhi.

“Recent conflicts have shown how drones can disproportionately shift the tactical balance. Their use is not just a possibility, it is a reality we are already facing,” he added.

Referring to Operation Sindoor, General Chauhan said Pakistan deployed both unarmed drones and loitering munitions across the border, most of which were neutralised through a “combination of kinetic and non-kinetic means”, and some recovered almost intact. “None of these UAVs caused any damage to Indian military or civilian infrastructure,” he said.

He said Operation Sindoor had shown why indigenously developed UAS and C-UAS “built for our terrain and our needs are crucial”.

“In the history of warfare, we have witnessed revolutionary changes — from heavy rifles to lighter, more sophisticated long-range weapons,” the CDS said. "But the biggest shift is the emergence of drones and unarmed aerial systems. Their utility has grown multifold — from basic surveillance tools to becoming effective force multipliers on the battlefield."

General Chauhan said the widespread use of drones in recent conflicts demonstrated how they could force a rethink of aerial warfare concepts. “Asymmetric drone warfare is making large platforms vulnerable and driving militaries to rethink the conceptual aspects of air doctrines, development of C-UAS and adaptive moves of engagement,” he said.

The CDS said India cannot rely on "imported niche technologies that are crucial for our offensive and defensive missions". "Dependence on foreign technologies weakens our preparedness, limits our ability to scale up production, results in a shortfall of critical spares for sustenance and round-the-clock availability."

Military leaders, defence experts, scientists, policymakers and private industry representatives were present at the event, which sought to develop a “strategic road map” for the indigenisation of critical UAV and C-UAS components.

The CDS's remarks came amid a global shift towards drone-dominated conflicts and highlight India's strategic focus on self-sufficiency in defence technology, especially in the face of asymmetric and aerial threats.

Earlier, military veterans and security experts had underlined that unmanned systems were poised to dominate future battlefields, saying the debut of attack drones in the India-Pakistan military conflict reflected a broader shift in modern warfare methods.

Sources said India did not use as many drones as Pakistan, relying mainly on air-to-surface missiles to hit terror camps and military installations in Pakistan.