Introduction

The term [1]“scholar warriors” dates back to ancient times. It is noted that whenever intellect combined with military might, they invariably achieved great success. History is full such stalwarts who defined human destiny with their superior strategies. Some prominent figures worth to quote are: Sun Tzu -Chinese general, military strategist, and author of ‘The Art of War’, Miyamoto Musashi -Japanese swordsman and author of ‘The Book of Five Rings’, Julius Caesar -Roman general and historian, Chandragupta Maurya- the first emperor to unify most of India under one administration, Ali Ibn Abi Talib -Military Commander and Muslim Philosopher, Emperor Ashoka, who reformed the Mauryan Dynasty from a war machine into a society of tolerance and nonviolence, based on Buddhism. Kautilya combined socio-economic scholarship with war tactics that he described in his work ‘Arthashastra’, and outlined various aspects of politics and military learning. The great epic ‘Mahabharata’ tells us the story of outstanding Krishna and Arjun, the duo mixed of intellect and power.

[2]This concept is embedded within the whole fabric of military history. Speaking at a seminar marking the end of the third warfare and aerospace strategy program, [3]Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary, stated that this aspect is more important today due to unparallel advancement in communication and armament technologies. This implies that the defense forces should produce personnel having reasoning and decision-making ability along with combativeness. Such grooming leads to the growth of people capable of grasping the complexities of modern warfare. The historical contexts underline how martial excellence went hand in hand with intellectual prowess. It has changed over time, taking into account changes in warfare and necessities for leadership abilities, though it still remains central to being skilled at martial intelligence.

Building strategic thinkers through the WASP initiative

Recent military adventures such as invasion of Iraq and Libya by NATO forces, Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in Gaza are critical examples of the evolving nature of warfare. As the Indian armed forces undergo reorganization into theatre commands, this will play a crucial role in reshaping India’s military doctrine. Incorporating these competences will enable the Indian military to enhance operational effectiveness, strategic flexibility, and overall readiness. According to the[4] Chief of Indian Air Force (IAF), an entire generation of officers may need to be educated about modern conflicts, including integration of cyber warfare, drone technology, and hybrid warfare tactics. The ‘Warfare & Aerospace Strategy Program (WASP)’ program conducted by the College of Air Warfare and Centre for Air Power Studies are aimed achieved these objectives.

Started in 2022, WASP is a 15-week educational program focused to provide a deep and comprehensive insight into strategic concepts. The program is designed to nurture critical thinkers who can integrate multi-disciplinary studies to formulate long-term military strategies. The course covers a broad range of lessons based on experience of well-known thinkers around the world. It begins with the ancient Indian text of Kautilya and includes the seminal works of Thucydides, Mahan, Corbett, Sun Tzu, and Clausewitz. The Indian military has established its credibility as a competent force, ranking as the 4th most powerful military in the world. The nature of military operations includes humanitarian assistance, nation-building, and peace enforcement. This broadened scope of operations has multi-dimensional implications. The decisions and actions on the ground should reflect an understanding of broader social, economic and political relationships in an ambiguous world. The nature of threats has changed from cyberspace tensions to space warfare; hence, the need for leaders who can envision and move away from traditional thinking patterns. Thus, it is possible to encourage the compulsory development of military leadership, intellectual ideas and innovative thinking in India.

Contemporary relevance of Scholar Warrior’s in India’s Defense Strategy:

[5]Scholar Warriors, which unites academic and militant abilities, could be looked at as closely conjoined to present-day India’s military modernization process. Therefore, in the context of modern warfare, the integration of knowledge and strategy is compulsory. The Scholar Warriors possess the brains as well as marital learning’s. This emphasizes the need to cultivate both the military genius and the military engineer in the course of nation-building to make the Armed Forces’ leaders well-equipped in terms of geopolitical, technological, and psychological perspectives of warfare. The grooming of a contingent of Scholar Warriors can lead to fast transformations in India’s capabilities in the defense sector. As the transformation is further supported by the concept of ‘Integrated Theatre Commands’ used to coordinate joint effectiveness of the different services in the armed forces. The Scholar Warriors who have had the privilege of studying MD operations are most suited for these commands because they will be in a position to coordinate and efficiently use the available resources. [6]The strategic benefit that Scholar Warriors provides is three-pronged. They provide the opportunity to aggregate information from multiple sources which helps make a decision. Their educational activities imply acquaintance with foreign military theories and policies, to be apposite for the Indian environment. For instance, the first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of India, General Bipin Rawat who had rich field experience in military operations along with military-strategic and international relations. He made appreciable contribution in formalizing Integrated Theatre Commands.

Conclusion: Bridging theory and practice

[7]Sun Tzu believed that it is better to out-think the enemy than out-fight him. The most powerful militaries in the world today have comprehensive military education at all levels. India can educate these warriors with a wealth of scientific, historical and philosophical information pools. However, the challenge remains in the optimization of application of these principles on the ground. The task is to maximize learning by ensuring that theoretical knowledge translates into effectively on the ground. Therefore, to be effective, the scholar warrior must be able to leverage critical thinking, in a complex cycle of decision making under challenging circumstances. As the Indian military leadership opens this educational program for civilians, it has a great potential to increase the capability of civilian leaders in the military domain, but ultimately, it is up to the individual to apply it.

[8]Eminent Greek historian and military strategist, Thucydides asserted that “The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.” The future of warfare in the Indian subcontinent will require integration of intellect and prowess at every level of leadership. India’s military doctrine accentuates rapid transformation of the armed forces, nurturing a new generation of leaders who can think strategically and act decisively.

Thus, the assimilation of Scholar Warriors into the framework of protecting India’s military is vital to addressing today’s global security threats. Their combination of brain and brawn not only fleshes out operational capacities but also guarantees that India’s military is ready and set to preserve its competitive edge within a progressively complicated world.

Akankshya Ray is currently pursuing a master's degree in Conflict Analysis and Peacebuilding from the Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Akankshya holds a B.A. in Political Science (Honours) from the University of Delhi.

Taha Ali is currently pursuing a Masters in Conflict Analysis and Peacebuilding at the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia.

[1] Russett, Bruce M. “WARRIORS AND SCHOLARS: FELLOW PROFESSIONALS IN HARD TIMES.” Naval War College Review 28, no. 2 (1975): 87–91. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44641627

[2] Allen, Francis A. “Yale Kamisar: Warrior Scholar.” Michigan Law Review 102, no. 8 (2004): 1689–92. https://doi.org/10.2307/4141958

[3] Amrita Nayak Dutta. "What Is the Military Concept of ‘Scholar Warriors’, Mentioned by the Air Chief Marshal Recently?" The Indian Express (Delhi), July 1, 2024. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/scholar-warrior-iaf-military-concept-9425725/

[4] "Navigating through Turbulent Times." The Economic Times (Delhi), June 25, 2024. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/to-navigate-through-turbulent-times-india-must-invest-in-modernisation-of-armed-forces-iaf-chief/articleshow/111262742.cms?from=mdr

[5] Major General Yash Mor (Retd). "Scholar Warrior Ethos of Indian Army - Morals, Ethics and Values." Land Forces. June 4, 202. https://www.spslandforces.com/story/?id=735&h=Scholar-Warrior-Ethos-of-Indian-Army---Morals-Ethics-and-Values.

[6] "What Does Air Chief Marshal Mean by ‘Scholar Warriors’? Why Does Military Need Them? Explained." News 18. July 2, 2024. https://www.news18.com/explainers/what-does-air-chief-marshal-mean-by-scholar-warriors-why-does-military-need-them-explained-8951312.html

[7] Amanda Penn. "5 Art of War Lessons for Real Life (Sun Tzu)." Shortform. November 7, 2019. https://www.shortform.com/blog/art-of-war-lessons/.

[8] Kelly Shackelford , and Trey Dimsdale. "On the Need for Scholars and Warriors." Law and Liberty. April 27, 2024. https://lawliberty.org/on-the-need-for-scholars-and-warriors/.