India, June 13 -- Network-centric warfare is a military theory that harnesses the power of information technology and leverages the advantages of computing networks in cyber, electronic and space warfare. With the constant evolution of warfare, the platforms and networks of deterrence and coercion too are evolving. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Israel- Palestine war, India's Operation Sindoor, and the US's Operation Epic Fury have demonstrated the heightened importance of network-centric warfare (NCW) in achieving information control and dominance to confuse, limit and disable an adversary's strategic choices and tactical options. The Observer Research Foundation's Senior Fellow Kartik Bommakanti's India and Network-Centric Warfare analyses the Indian armed forces' capabilities in these technologies. It also provides a framework for integration of cyber, electronic and space technologies into the armed forces, and looks at the integration of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies in specific areas. Although the volume is largely focused on understanding and explaining the doctrinal, strategic and tactical aspects of India's network-centric warfare, the author adopts a comparative framework wher necessary. For instance, India's developments are constantly cross-referenced with those of the US and China, two countries that are flag bearers when it comes to developing these domain capabilities. The author has cross-referenced the work of retired Indian armed forces officials Lieutenant General (Retd) Prakash Katoch and Colonel (Retd) SC Narang, both of whom have organisational, practical and now theoretical expertise in developing doctrines and practices. Apart from these names, however, there are very few scholars on both the civilian and military sides who are addressing this complex yet urgent subject. Bommakanti's work, then, is extremely relevant and paves the way for future research. The book's descriptive chapters focus on the role, function and evolving doctrinal understanding of cyber, space and counter-space warfare. The application, utility, scope for development, and limitations of each of these subjects within the Indian armed for- ces is explained in detail, making this complicated topic easier to understand and more interesting from a layman's perspective. India and Network-Centric Warfare is also a reality check for Indian policy makers. The author's comparative framework in describing Chinese and Indian space capabilities and his highlighting of the former's sharing of information with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor serves as an eye-opener. Although the government of India sanctioned $3 billion in October 2024 for a Low Earth Orbit-based SmSat (Small Satellite) constellation for space-based surveillance, India recognised its urgency and importance only after Operation Sindoor. The author points out that China already has another mega-constellation of SmSat called Thousand Sails for its allies such as Pakistan. India's LEO SmSat constellation, with an estimated size of just 52 satellites, will not be launched until the end of 2029. This is just one of the many instances when the book provides a reality check on India's limitations in network-centric warfare. The author's comparative analysis of counter-space capabilities is also notable. He highlights that India's latest anti-satellite testing is enough to deter Pakistan but not China. India's kinetic capabilities, he says, can be launched from diverse platforms, enhancing its reach and constraining the options of adversaries. But this limited comparative advantage comes with multiple challenges: China is capable of targeting Indian satellites, and Pakistan will soon join the ranks of those able to do this. India's IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System), which sends signals crucial for the armed forces' precision-strike needs, requires at least three of the seven GEO-based satellites to be in fixed positions. If an adversary neutralises three or more, India has to migrate to the American Global Positioning System or the Russian GLONASS. The author states that these are critical vulnerabilities that require a fix. On quantum technology, he argues that investment and applications are at a very nascent stage. This is not a problem unique to India. However, limited investment combined with a lack of bureaucratic understanding of these complex issues could lead to India missing this window of opportunity, as has happened in earlier instances. The strength of Bommakanti's book lies in its clear explanation of a few complex but critical subjects that are necessary if India is to transition rapidly from conventional to unconventional military power. If the country does not quickly grasp that the nature of modern warfare is evolving and that it needs to invest resources accordingly, it might be fighting tomorrow's wars with yesterday's equipment and doctrine. This would not only have a cascading effect on the nation's deterrence posture in maritime and continental domains but also risk its strategic credibility and ability to impose costs in the event of an adversary's wrongdoing. Not just a reality check, Bommakanti's book is a guide that can help orient Indian policymakers and the broader government apparatus toward the right strategic direction....