India, Dec. 30 -- In the year 2025, warfare witnessed and underwent adaptation. Several trends evolved with States at war refining tactics and technology as hostilities progressed. First, drones emerged as an asymmetric capability that prevented a quick and decisive defeat. However, they are insufficient and incapable of inflicting heavy blows, and their use is undergoing adaptation. Second, ground forces continue to matter - without them, territorial gains cannot be secured. Third, airpower, using manned aircraft, is crucial for tipping the balance, but insufficient for gaining ground against entrenched ground forces. Finally, naval power will continue to evolve with Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) playing a key role in most major navies across the world. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have played an important part in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Yet they have not had the impact they did during the 2022-23 phase of the Russia-Ukraine war. Even in the case of airborne drones, they have at best performed intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) and attack missions by slowing and thwarting the advance of attacking ground forces or neutralising enemy air defences and radar installations. Drones played a key role in the India-Pakistan skirmish in May this year, knocking out Pakistani radar and air defence installations. The same was true during the Israel-Iran war in June this year. Drones also underwent a technical evolution through the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, with the Russians developing Shahed drones with jet motors that allow UAVs to travel faster than propeller-driven drones. Drones have been very effective in preventing either side from achieving battlefield surprise on a massive scale, thwarting a quick breakthrough across the flat, unvegetated country of Ukraine. Herein lies a lesson for India against China in the Depsang Plains and the flat terrain India faces in Punjab and Rajasthan against Pakistan along the international border. Additionally, a mixture of drones, ballistic and cruise missiles for offensive operations is crucial to preventing the enemy from adapting. This mode of attack was effectively demonstrated by the Russians. Drones, however, cannot win battles alone, let alone wars. Ground forces are critical to winning wars. The Russian eviction of Ukrainian forces from the Kursk region in April this year stands as a visible reminder of why ground forces are so crucial: Russian ground forces with North Korean reinforcements compelled the Ukrainians to make a quick retreat. Long-range precision strike weapons can't compensate for infantry, towed and mobile artillery and tanks. Long-range missiles are not always suited for ground combat support, as the Ukrainians have discovered, despite being armed with High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). The latter are mostly suited for striking static targets deep behind enemy lines. Cannon artillery will be just as relevant for ground combat situations. Airpower using manned aircraft will stay relevant for the foreseeable future. It can generate a level of mass and precision firepower that is hard to substitute with UAVs. This was visibly demonstrated by the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor, Israeli air strikes against Iran and the US Air Force strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities in June. UAVs in due course could evolve to possess capabilities to deliver the lethal punch that manned fighter aircraft can do today. India needs to build a mix of unmanned and manned airborne combat capabilities. For India, a key lesson from 2025 is that innovations in drone use that blend their employment with missiles will obviate predictability, limiting the adversary's capacity to adapt, develop responses, and recover quickly. Capabilities will need to be adapted and tailored to the requirements of geography. Artillery, infantry and armour will need to adapt in the face of improving unmanned capabilities by developing counter unmanned capabilities. Continuous technical innovation and adaptation at the tactical and strategic level are critical for military performance and effectiveness on today's battlefield....