Civil-military fusion key to India’s rise as global power: Lt Gen Shukla
A discussion held on his book “Civil-Military Fusion as a Metric of National Power and Comprehensive Security”
Civil-military fusion is central to strengthening India’s national power, comprehensive security and technological self-reliance, Lt Gen (retd) Raj Shukla asserted while discussing his book, “Civil-Military Fusion as a Metric of National Power and Comprehensive Security” here today.
The book discussion, jointly hosted by the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation (CCF) and Gyan Setu Think Tank at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), underlined the growing importance of integrating the military with civilian sectors such as industry, academia, startups and diplomacy to meet emerging security challenges.
Lt Gen Shukla, a former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Army Training Command and now a member of the Union Public Service Commission, explained that China’s rapid economic growth, technological rise and military expansion were closely linked to its systematic adoption of civil-military fusion. He argued that similar principles are deeply rooted in India’s civilisational ethos and must now be applied in a structured and forward-looking manner.
“India’s rise as a global power will depend not just on military strength but on how seamlessly its civil, industrial, scientific and strategic ecosystems work together,” he said, adding that the civil-military fusion creates synergy between soldiers, scientists and entrepreneurs to drive innovation, indigenisation and comprehensive security.
Released in October 2025 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the book positions the civil-military fusion as a strategic imperative in an era of hybrid warfare and rapid technological change.
The session was moderated by Lt Gen (Retd) KJ Singh and was attended by former Army Chief Gen (Retd) VP Malik, former Navy Chief Admiral (Retd) Sunil Lanba and several senior military veterans.
Speakers noted that sustained civil-military collaboration would be critical to enhancing India’s strategic posture and long-term defence preparedness.
