NEW DELHI, SEPT 18: Senior defence and civil officials were directed to strengthen jointness, inter-agency coordination and preparedness against emerging security challenges as the five-day Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE) Programme 2026 concluded at the Manekshaw Centre here on Friday.
Organised by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and conducted by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), the programme brought together senior officers from the three Services and officials from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs for detailed deliberations on the changing security environment.
The programme emphasised the need for closer coordination across diplomatic, informational, economic and military domains, with participants examining ongoing conflicts, modern warfighting methods, non-kinetic threats, defence production and capability development.
Senior military leadership directed greater focus on emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, robotics and quantum computing, while discussions also covered cognitive warfare, strategic communication and counter-disinformation operations.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and CISC interacted with participants and discussed modern-day warfighting, apex-level decision-making and prevailing security challenges. The Vice Chief of Air Staff and Vice Chief of Army Staff also shared their perspectives on contemporary operational issues.
The programme further called for enhanced inter-departmental and inter-agency coordination, with participation from subject matter experts, academia, think tanks and representatives of various government institutions.
Scenario-based exercises on cognitive warfare and strategic communication formed an important component of the programme, highlighting the need for coordinated national responses to evolving threats.
The CORE Programme concluded with emphasis on strengthening integrated responses and advancing a Whole-of-Nation approach to national security.
