The five-day Combined Operational Review and Evaluation (CORE) Programme 2026 concluded on September 18 at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. Organised by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and conducted by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), the programme was held from September 14 to 18, bringing together senior officers from the three Services and officials from the Ministries of Defence, External Affairs and Home Affairs.
The programme provided a platform for senior military and civil officials to exchange views on contemporary and emerging national security challenges, with discussions covering jointness and integration, ongoing conflicts, modern warfare, non-kinetic operations, defence production and capability development.
Participants also examined the growing role of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Quantum Computing, along with cognitive warfare, strategic communication and counter-disinformation operations.
A key feature of CORE 2026 was direct interaction between participants and senior military leadership. The Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff and CISC engaged with the participants on modern warfare, strategic decision-making and prevailing security challenges. The Vice Chief of the Air Staff and Vice Chief of the Army Staff also shared their perspectives on contemporary operational and security issues.
The programme included contributions from subject matter experts, academics, think tanks and representatives of various government institutions. Their participation enabled broader discussions on the evolving character of warfare and the need for coordinated national responses to emerging threats.
CORE 2026 also strengthened inter-departmental coordination and inter-agency jointness by bringing the Armed Forces, civil ministries and key institutions together on a common platform. The deliberations highlighted the importance of coordination across diplomatic, informational, economic and military domains and reinforced the need for a Whole-of-Nation approach to national security.
Scenario-based exercises on cognitive warfare and strategic communication further enhanced the programme, providing participants with practical insights into emerging dimensions of modern conflict and national security.
