ThinkEdu 2026: Experts Highlight Multi-Domain Warfare And Strategic Importance Of Diplomacy
ThinkEdu 2026 speakers highlight defence, diplomacy, and multi-domain strategies as essential tools serving national interest.
Former Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri on Monday described diplomacy as a strategic tool in the service of national interest, stressing that it is subordinate to the broader priorities of the nation. He made these remarks during the 14th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave, held on the theme “Defence and Diplomacy: Dealing with the New World Order.”
Puri, who has served in Nepal, Luxembourg, and Belgium, underscored the interconnectedness of defence and diplomacy, noting that both are “two sides of the same coin.” He cited India’s South Block in Delhi, which houses both the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs, as a concrete example of how these functions operate in tandem to protect and promote national objectives.
Adding perspective on military capabilities, Former Chief of the Air Staff Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria said that defence remains a “silent pillar” of world order, providing essential leverage for diplomatic negotiations. “With the kind of conflicts that are going on in the world over, having our own capability has become all the more important, all the more essential,” he emphasized.
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Former Director General of Assam Rifles, Lt.Gen. Shokin Chauhan, highlighted the broader role of state institutions, asserting that defence, diplomacy, economics, and bureaucracy are instruments in the hands of political leadership. He questioned the independence of political masters in leveraging these tools, adding that historically no Indian politician has attempted to unduly influence the armed forces.
Chauhan also spoke on the evolving nature of modern warfare, pointing out that contemporary conflicts extend beyond traditional land, air, and sea domains. He noted the emergence of cyber, narrative, and space domains, warning that disruptions to energy grids, banking systems, and media narratives could constitute a form of warfare without conventional battlefronts.
The conclave highlighted the strategic interplay between military preparedness and diplomatic engagement in shaping India’s position in a complex global environment. Speakers emphasized that a strong defence posture enhances the credibility of diplomacy, while coordinated state institutions remain crucial in safeguarding national interests in an increasingly multi-domain world.
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