Five-day programme in New Delhi to bring senior defence officers and officials together on emerging threats, technological transformation and civil-military coordination

New Delhi, September 14: The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) is set to organise the Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE) programme from September 14 to 18, 2026, bringing together senior officers of the Defence Forces and officials from key Union ministries for discussions on contemporary national and regional security challenges.

The five-day programme will be conducted at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, with participation from senior officials of the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The programme is designed to provide senior military and civilian leaders with a broader understanding of the rapidly changing security environment and help strengthen their ability to take balanced and informed decisions in future leadership assignments.

Focus on Emerging Security Environment

The CORE programme comes at a time when India’s national security environment is becoming increasingly complex, with conventional military threats intersecting with technological, cyber, informational and geopolitical challenges.

Through interactions with distinguished subject matter experts and renowned speakers from diverse fields, the programme will expose participants to a wide range of contemporary security issues.

The objective is not limited to military preparedness but also to encourage participants to examine security challenges from multiple perspectives.

Such an approach is increasingly important as national security decisions can involve diplomatic, economic, technological, internal-security and military considerations simultaneously.

Technology Transforming Modern Warfare

One of the major themes of the programme will be the technological transformation of warfare.

Rapid advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, drones, cyber capabilities, space-based assets, precision weapons and advanced communications are changing how military operations are planned and conducted.

The growing integration of technology into warfare is also reducing the traditional boundaries between different operational domains.

For senior military leaders, understanding these developments is increasingly important for assessing threats, planning operations and determining future capability requirements.

The CORE programme will provide a forum for examining these transformations and their implications for India’s security preparedness.

Strategic Communication in the Security Environment

Another key theme will be strategic communication.

Information has become an increasingly important element of national security, particularly during crises and conflicts. The rapid spread of information through digital platforms and social media has created new challenges related to misinformation, perception management and public communication.

Strategic communication therefore forms an important component of contemporary security planning.

The programme is expected to provide senior leaders with an opportunity to understand how communication can support national objectives while addressing the challenges created by an increasingly complex information environment.

Strengthening Civil-Military Understanding

A distinctive feature of the CORE programme is its emphasis on civil-military understanding.

With senior officials from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs participating alongside Defence Forces officers, the programme seeks to encourage greater understanding of the different dimensions of national security.

Complex security situations frequently require coordinated responses involving the armed forces, diplomatic establishment, internal-security agencies and other elements of the government.

Enhanced interaction between military and civilian officials can therefore contribute to more integrated assessments and decision-making.

Promoting Jointness and Integrated Thinking

The CORE programme also reflects the continuing emphasis within India’s defence establishment on jointness and integrated thinking.

HQ IDS plays an important role in facilitating greater integration among the three Services and supporting joint approaches to defence planning and operations.

Exposure to experts from different professional backgrounds is intended to broaden the perspective of participating officers and encourage them to look beyond individual Service or organisational considerations.

The programme is consequently designed to strengthen professional competencies while encouraging a more comprehensive understanding of national security.

Preparing Future Senior Leadership

The five-day programme is aimed specifically at senior leaders, making leadership development an important component of the initiative.

Participants will be exposed to emerging regional and global security developments and encouraged to assess their implications for India’s national interests.

The emphasis on informed and balanced decision-making is particularly relevant as senior commanders and officials increasingly have to operate in an environment where military decisions can have wider diplomatic, political and strategic consequences.

A Wider National Security Perspective

The programme’s combination of military, diplomatic and internal-security participation reflects a broader evolution in the understanding of national security.

Contemporary threats can emerge simultaneously across multiple domains. A conventional military challenge could, for example, be accompanied by cyber activity, information warfare, diplomatic pressure or attempts to disrupt critical infrastructure.

Addressing such challenges requires coordination and a common understanding among institutions responsible for different aspects of national security.

The CORE programme seeks to contribute to that broader institutional understanding.

Key Takeaways

  • HQ Integrated Defence Staff is organising the CORE programme from September 14–18, 2026.
  • CORE stands for Combined Operational Review and Evaluation.
  • The programme is being held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
  • Participants include senior Defence Forces officers.
  • Officials from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs are also participating.
  • Key themes include regional and global security challenges.
  • Programme will examine the technological transformation of warfare.
  • Strategic communication is another major focus area.
  • Emphasis will be placed on civil-military understanding.
  • The initiative seeks to strengthen professional competencies, jointness and integrated thinking.
  • The ultimate objective is to prepare senior leadership for dynamic and evolving national-security challenges.

The CORE programme represents HQ IDS’s effort to build a more integrated and forward-looking senior leadership cadre—one capable of assessing military, technological, diplomatic and internal-security challenges as interconnected elements of India’s evolving national-security landscape.