Army Chief Highlights Changing Character Of Modern Conflicts, Flags Tech-Driven Warfare During UAE Visit
The COAS emphasised on the leadership role of senior military officers and stressed the importance of collaborative engagements. Image courtesy: X.com/@adgpi
Currently on his two-day UAE visit, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) addressed officers at the UAE National Defence College (NDC). The Army chief’s visit to the Gulf nation further expands India and the UAE’s defence partnership.
In his address, General Dwivedi highlighted the evolving global security environment and the changing character of contemporary conflicts, stressing that rapid technological advancements are fundamentally reshaping modern warfare. The COAS underscored the growing role of technology, innovation and adaptability in military operations.
With this, he pointed to emerging challenges such as hybrid warfare, multi-domain operations and high-tempo conflicts.
COAS General Dwivedi UAE visit: Role of senior leadership
General Dwivedi emphasised that senior military leadership must evolve alongside technology, guiding armed forces through increasingly complex and unpredictable security scenarios.
He stressed that leadership today is not only about command on the battlefield but also about strategic foresight, jointness and international collaboration.
How is India strengthening defence cooperation with the UAE?
The Army Chief highlighted the importance of bilateral and multilateral defence cooperation between India, the UAE and other regional partners to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. Such collaboration, he noted, is essential for enhancing operational interoperability, advancing joint training and capacity building, contributing to regional and global peace and security.
General Dwivedi, who is on a two-day visit to the UAE, was accorded a Guard of Honour by the UAE Land Forces on arrival. He also held discussions with Major General Staff Yousef Maayouf Saeed Al Hallami, Commander of the UAE Land Forces.
The talks focused on strengthening positive military engagement, enhancing training convergence, advancing bilateral defence cooperation. The COAS also visited the UAE Land Forces Museum, gaining insights into the country’s military heritage, traditions and institutional evolution.
How COAS’ UAE visit fit into India’s regional strategy?
The visit underlines India’s commitment to sustained defence engagement with friendly foreign countries, particularly in the Gulf region, which plays a critical role in India’s strategic and economic interests. Worth mentioning here is that the Indian Army and the UAE Land Forces recently culminated joint exercise Desert Cyclone-II.
Following the UAE leg of his tour, General Dwivedi will travel to Sri Lanka from January 7 to 8, continuing India’s outreach to strengthen security partnerships across the Indian Ocean region.
