‘Ready, Relevant And Resurgent II: Shaping A Future-Ready Force’ – Book Review
“Ready, Relevant and Resurgent II: Shaping a Future-Ready Force” is a thought-provoking book authored by India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan—an officer who is truly “In the Know.” The book offers rare insight into the strategic thinking of India’s senior military leadership. It reflects the intellectual currents shaping of India’s defence establishment as the country positions itself for emerging global challenges.
The book has been chapterized into 20 Chapters with focus on Military Strategy, Wars with Clausewitz’s Percepts, Future Wars and Indian Armed Forces, Air Power and National Security, Cyber Space: A New Frontier of Warfare, Future Wars and the Relevance of Indian Principles of Wars, Preserving India’s Military Heritage, Great Game in the IOR, Indo- Pacific, Military Space Diplomacy, Empowering India’s Defence Industry Exports and Indigenous Innovation and Nation Building.
General Chauhan presents a comprehensive and forward-looking vision for shaping India’s Armed Forces in a complex, Multipolar World. Drawing lessons from contemporary conflicts. He examines emerging battle spaces and domains about which the author has consistently emphasized while engaging with future military leaders.
It is rare for serving Chiefs to articulate such a candid, strategic vision. General Chauhan underscores the centrality of strong military leadership, institutional adaptability, and organizational resilience. At the same time, he boldly reimagines India’s military future—one that draws strength from historical experience, leverages technological innovation, and remains firmly anchored in the national aspiration of a ready, reliable, and resurgent India.
The book in the perception of a veteran invites a comparison with “Arming Without Aiming” (2010) by Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta, which highlighted the disconnect between India’s military modernization and strategic planning due to insufficient political attention. Fifteen years later, Shaping a Future-Ready Force, emerging from the mind of a serving CDS, deserves careful attention from defence leaders and policymakers alike. While greater political focus on defence has emerged in recent years, persistent concerns remain. Military modernization continues to suffer from inadequate long-term planning, frequent shifts driven by personalities and service-centric approaches. The continued reliance on large-scale imports of fighters and transport aircraft raises valid questions about the depth of Atmanirbharta as India speaks of marching towards Viksit Bharat@2047.
The Forward coming from our Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh itself means a lot who says, “This book does not merely reflect where India’s military stands, it projects where it must lead. India’s aspirations for becoming a ‘Sashakt, Surakshit and Viksit Bharat’ demand a military that is not only combat ready but intellectually fearless”.
Overall, Shaping a Future-Ready Force is a must-read for serving officers and policymakers seeking to understand the trajectory of India’s military transformation amid rapidly changing global security dynamics.