Lessons from Russia for India- Relevance for UPSC Exam
- GS Paper 2: International Relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Lessons from Russia for India in news
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had many impacts, but one area which merits more attention is whether it has produced effects sufficient to alter our understanding of warfare.
Lessons from Russia for India- Key Changes in Warfare
- Relevance of Tanks: The battle tank has been rendered obsolescent, because of the highly effective performance of anti-tank missiles such as the American-built Javelin or Advanced Anti-Tank Weapon System in visiting destruction upon Russian T-90s.
- But tanks have withstood past obituaries.
- Fundamentally, at a tactical level, for the tank to be effective requires the use of infantry in close support of armoured operations.
- As was the case in past wars in which the tank suffered losses, this is still absent in Russia’s strategy, which explains why the Russians have suffered such heavy tank losses.
- As a standalone capability, the tank provides advantages in the form of a trinity of elements – firepower, mobility and protection.
- No weapons platform for ground operations can serve as a credible substitute.
- Role of new Technologies in warfare: emerging technologies such as cyber and digital technology, Artificial Intelligence, etc. have rendered obsolescent legacy platforms such as fighter planes, warships, and artillery weapons. However-
- Emerging technologies cannot be a substitute for legacy platforms; they can at best enhance their performance.
- If precision firepower is to be delivered against adversary targets, legacy systems will matter for launch of ordinance.
- The devastating losses incurred by the Russian ground forces from drone and anti-tank attacks operating in Battalion Tactical Groups, comprising largely armour and artillery units and little infantry, seem to have convinced proponents that there is a change in the nature of warfare.
- Infantry plays a key role in providing protection to any advancing tank column and retaliating when threatened.
- This doesn’t herald a change in warfare, it is just poor tactics.
- Role of Air Power: the failure of the Russians to effectively apply air power botched the invasion from the outset.
- This has convinced proponents that air power is not consequential.
- Indeed, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences should be the foremost requirement for any invading force.
- Russia’s failure to neutralise Ukrainian air defences remains a glaring weakness.
UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Russia Ukraine War
Key Takeaway for India from Russia-Ukraine War
- Investing in Warfare Technologies: India must invest more in sensors, electronic warfare, greater digitisation, satellite communications and unmanned systems not just for reconnaissance and surveillance, but also attack missions.
- This does not require dispensing with legacy platforms, but rather making them more lethal and effective.
- Developing Offensive Capabilities: India will also need greater missile forces to enhance its offensive capability.
- The Indian armed forces will need to be proficient at combined arms warfare.
- Role of Morale and Leadership: No amount of advanced technology can substitute or compensate for low morale and training, weak command, poor tactics and strategy.
The Editorial Analysis- The Learning Grounds of Ukraine
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