Indian Army Appoints Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai as Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy)

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai has been promoted to Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) and will retain his current responsibility as Director General of Military Operations. Ghai praised India's strong air defence system, highlighting a unique combination of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems, air defence weapons, and electronic warfare capabilities. He drew a comparison to a legendary Australian cricket bowling partnership to illustrate how India's layered air defence system efficiently neutralises threats.

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai's recent promotion to Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) underscores India's commitment to enhancing its air defense capabilities. Ghai, who will retain his role as Director General of Military Operations, has praised India's strong air defense system, highlighting a unique combination of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), air defense weapons, and electronic warfare capabilities.

Ghai drew a comparison to a legendary Australian cricket bowling partnership to illustrate how India's layered air defense system efficiently neutralizes threats. This strategy reflects the growing importance of C-UAS technology in modern warfare, as demonstrated by recent drone attacks on Russia’s air force [1].

In May 2025, several significant developments in the C-UAS sector were announced. AeroVironment, Inc. acquired BlueHalo, LLC, to strengthen its position in C-UAS solutions [1]. The U.S. DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) introduced new opportunities for industry to bring forward C-UAS capabilities [1]. Additionally, the U.S. signed a $1 billion defense agreement with Qatar to establish the Gulf nation as the first international customer of the Fixed Site Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) [1].

These advancements highlight the global trend of investing in C-UAS technology to counter the evolving threat environment posed by unmanned aerial systems. India's air defense strategy, as illustrated by Ghai's comments, is aligned with this global trend, emphasizing the importance of layered defense mechanisms and advanced technology.

References:
[1] https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/2025/06/04/surprise-russian-airbase-attack-draws-renewed-spotlight-on-counter-uas-technology-development/