Red Teaming: Indian Army Embracing US, Israel-Style Combat Tactic To Assess Enemy Mind

Taking a step further to bolster its strategy game and decision-making, the Indian Army has begun employing a contemporary war-planning tactic known as ‘red teaming’. This strategy has been in the use in the US and Israel armies for some time now but is now being adopted more extensively.

“There is a very interesting concept called red teaming. The United States has employed red teaming for a considerable period, and Israel has also implemented it to some extent,” said Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha, Director General of Military Operations for the Indian Army Air Defence, revealed in an interview with ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash.

In India, the Army has only recently started to embrace this approach under the current and previous Chiefs of Army Staff, he shared. Red teaming has already been utilised in a recent military campaign and is now being widely adopted across the force.

What is red teaming?

Red Teaming is a structured, adversarial simulation technique against own forces to evaluate and analyse an organisation’s security, strategy, or operations. It involves a designated group, called the “Red Team”, whose task is challenging assumptions, testing vulnerabilities, and mimicking enemy tactics to expose blind spots or weaknesses.

By adopting an outsider’s perspective, these Red Teams help defence institutions strengthen readiness, adapt to evolving threats, and improve resilience under stress.

Why red teaming could be a game changer for the Indian Army?

There is no way of knowing what the opposing team might be thinking but red teaming paves the way for all sorts of permutations and combinations that could be worked out to chalk out a smart strategy.

On being asked if the forces study or attempt to understand the mindset of the individual in charge on the opposing side or do they undertake any form of psychological analysis of the adversary, Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D’Cunha talked about red teaming, explaining how it tests assumptions and boost strategic thinking and planning.

“Devil’s advocacy” or “alternative analysis” are a few other terms by which red teaming is known.

Red teaming: How the US and Israeli forces incorporate this war tactic?

The United States has long incorporated red teaming into its military and intelligence planning, employing dedicated red teams within the Department of Defense, CIA, and other agencies to simulate adversary actions and challenge strategic assumptions. These teams play a crucial role in war-gaming, threat assessments, and operational planning.

In Israel, red teaming has been adopted selectively, particularly within the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and intelligence services, to assess threats from non-state actors and regional adversaries. Both countries utilise red teaming to improve foresight, minimise blind spots, and enhance overall decision-making in complex security environments.

According to Lt Gen D’Cunha, red teaming can play a crucial role in planning as the team analyses how adversaries are likely to think and act, including examining the psychological impact of operations and potential outcomes such as civil unrest. “This allows commanders to understand the possible consequences of their actions and prepare for future phases of a campaign.”