Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Deputy Chief of Air Staff, emphasized the crucial importance of surveillance and electro-optic technologies in modern combat, stating that the edge in warfare today belongs to those who "see first, see farthest, and see most accurately." Speaking at the Surveillance and Electro Optics India seminar, he referenced several global conflicts—including Armenia-Azerbaijan, Russia-Ukraine, and Israel-Hamas—as well as India’s own Operation Sindoor, to illustrate how superior situational awareness has consistently proven decisive.

Air Marshal Dixit remarked that the battlefield is being reshaped by technology. “Deep surveillance has become central to military operations,” he said, adding that conventional ideas about distance and vulnerability no longer apply. Precision weapons like SCALP, BrahMos, and HAMMER, along with beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, have rendered traditional combat boundaries irrelevant.

He explained that surveillance and electro-optics have evolved from support tools into core components of national defense strategies. “The distinction between front lines and rear areas is disappearing. The modern battlefield is continuous, and surveillance must extend deep into enemy territory—even before threats reach our borders,” he stated. With modern weapons compressing response times to seconds, real-time surveillance has become critical. “The Observe–Orient–Decide–Act (OODA) loop has shrunk significantly,” he said, highlighting how advanced satellite constellations now offer persistent, predictive awareness through combined electro-optical, SAR, and SIGINT data.

He also stressed that the Indian private sector must play a key role in advancing surveillance capabilities. “We need AI-integrated systems that can detect threats automatically and respond intelligently,” he said. He advocated for the development of multispectral, all-weather systems capable of operating across India’s diverse terrain—from glaciers to deserts and oceans. Future systems, he added, must be scalable, interoperable, and networked to adapt to emerging technologies.

Lieutenant General Vineet Gaur, DG Capability Development, echoed these views, calling advanced surveillance a necessity rather than a luxury. He recalled its value during the Kargil conflict and underscored its rising relevance in today's evolving threat environment. Highlighting India's future capabilities, he revealed plans to launch 52 satellites in the coming year, with 31 developed by private firms. These satellites will carry high-resolution cameras, sensors, and cutting-edge technologies aimed at boosting India's defense readiness.

Air Vice Marshal Tejpal Singh also underlined the vital role of surveillance in modern warfare. He stressed that enhanced imaging and real-time intelligence are now essential for gaining battlefield advantage. He pointed to the centrality of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems—particularly Remotely Operated Systems (ROS)—in ongoing conflicts like Russia-Ukraine. Citing unmanned aerial attacks in Yemen as an example, he concluded, “ISR capabilities are key to achieving airspace dominance in today’s complex and contested environments.”