Indian Army now using US-Israel style war tactics to understand what enemy like Asim Munir is thinking, reveals top Army official

Time of India

4 days ago

Recently, the Indian Army has started using a modern war-planning approach known as red teaming to improve its preparedness and decision-making.
Lieutenant General Sumer Ivan D'Cunha
, in an interview with ANI, revealed that red teaming has already been used in a recent military campaign and is now being adopted more widely across the force. Responding to a question from the interviewer — "Do you study or try to understand the mindset of the person in charge on the other side — like General Munir? Do you conduct a psychological analysis of your adversary? Because predicting their next move is a major part of what the military is supposed to do, right? You have to anticipate how they're planning and what their intentions might be. Is that something you actively do?"
Lt Gen D'Cunha, DGMO of
Indian Army Air Defence
said: 'The United States has long used red teaming, and Israel has applied it to some extent. In India, the Army has recently begun to implement this approach under the current and previous Chiefs of Army Staff.'
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What is red teaming?
Red teaming involves forming a group within an organisation to challenge its own strategies and simulate an adversary's thinking. This structured method helps identify risks and weaknesses in plans by taking on the perspective of the opponent. Lt Gen D'Cunha described it as 'a fascinating concept increasingly being adopted by modern militaries, including India.'
Also called 'devil's advocacy' or 'alternative analysis,' red teaming tests assumptions and strengthens strategic planning by thinking like the enemy.
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How US, Israel use this tactic in war games
The United States has long integrated red teaming into its military and intelligence planning, using dedicated red teams across the Department of Defense, CIA, and other agencies to simulate enemy actions and challenge strategic assumptions. These teams play a key role in war-gaming, threat assessments, and operational planning. In Israel, red teaming has been adopted selectively, particularly within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and intelligence services, to evaluate threats from non-state actors and regional adversaries. Both countries use red teaming to improve foresight, reduce blind spots, and enhance overall decision-making in complex security environments.
Primary objectives of red teaming
Lt Gen D'Cunha said the red team examines how adversaries are likely to think and act, including analysing the psychological impact of operations and potential outcomes such as civil unrest.
'This allows commanders to understand the possible consequences of their actions and prepare for future phases of a campaign,' he noted.
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The key aims of red teaming include:
Anticipating adversary intent: Understanding enemy capabilities and likely moves.
Evaluating operational plans: Testing new tactics and command structures against simulated enemy responses.
Testing readiness: Validating technical skills and training of the Indian forces under threat conditions.
Avoiding mirror imaging: Preventing assumptions that the enemy will act the same way India would, which was a concern during the Kargil conflict.
Applications in threat evaluation and planning
Red teaming helps defence planners build a clearer picture of how opponents may operate. Some key applications include:
Cognitive profiling: Understanding how adversaries make decisions to avoid faulty assumptions.
Threat modelling: Re-creating enemy strategies to expose weak points in India's own defences.
Adversary TTP simulation: Simulating enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to prepare countermeasures.
System testing
: Identifying gaps in defence infrastructure using red-team assessments.
Incident response: Stress-testing military response systems in realistic war-like scenarios.
Resource prioritisation: Allocating budgets and capabilities to areas where India is most vulnerable.
Flexibility and adaptability: Key features of red teaming
Red teaming allows the military to quickly adjust its planning as situations evolve. This approach uncovers risks that fixed strategies might overlook and leads to better-informed decisions. By building this method into planning processes, the Indian Army aims to strengthen its national security and long-term strategic advantage.
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