Indian Army Roadmap for 2026: Planning in Short, Medium and Long Term; AI, data and digital networks will be the next battle

After analyzing the 88-hour war with Pakistan under Operation Sindhur, the Army has outlined important changes. The Army has divided it into three parts: short-term, medium-term and long-term strategy. Under the short term strategy, a clear roadmap for 2026 has been made. Army sources said that this year's entire focus will be on quick information, networks and quick decisions of the entire war environment rather than acquiring weapons, which is an important lesson of Operation Sindhur. The Army has decided to celebrate the year 2026 as 'Networking and Data Centrality' and 2027 as complete integration with AI of operations. A top official privy to the process said the decision is the next step in the Army's long-running transformation plan. The Army has declared the years 2023 to 2032 as the decade of change. These include reforms in organization, thought and working practices in 2023, 'technology absorption' in 2024 and a roadmap for grassroots transformation in 2025. Changes are also being made in the strategic communication of a separate medium for international community, adversary, domestic communication. The plan is to determine different materials and means for international community, enemy and domestic communications. The enemy's system of lying in a narrative war is foiled. Top priority should be given to the political leadership, dialogue between the three services and coordination with the media. The Army's study revealed how important it is to have accurate information at the right time during Operation Sindhur. December 29, 2025: India successfully conducted the first successful flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) from the Integrated Test Range in Odisha's Chandipur. During this time, the rocket was launched to its maximum range of 120 km. During the flight, the rocket successfully completed all the scheduled in-flight manoeuvres and hit the designated target with pinpoint accuracy. The rocket was monitored throughout the flight by all tracking systems deployed at the range. This successful test was carried out by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). December 17, 2025: The Indian Army received the last three Apache AH-64E helicopters from the US. With this, the fleet of 6 Apache helicopters of the Indian Army has been completed. The three helicopters will be deployed at the 451 Army Aviation Squadron in Jodhpur near the western border with Pakistan. In 2020, the Ministry of Defence signed a $600 million (about Rs 5,691 crore) deal with Boeing to buy six helicopters for the Army. As per the original plan, these helicopters were scheduled to arrive by May-June 2024, but were delayed by 15 months due to supply chain issues and technical reasons. Lt Gen Ajay Kumar, Director General of the Army's Infantry Wing, said that 20 more battalions of Bhairav Light Commandos will be inducted into the Indian Army in the next six months. 4 such battalions are already operational in different parts of the country. Apart from these 5 battalions, 4 more are almost ready while the remaining 16 will be made operational in the next six months.