NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday declared that there are “no runners-up in war,” with his remarks coming amid continuing tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in April and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor in May. Speaking at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in the capital, General Chauhan said, “War is all about managing — there are no runners-up in war. There are no silver medals for valiant efforts or consolation prizes for brave attempts. The stakes in any conflict are always high — often the very fate and survival of nations.”He stressed that the key to victory has always been sound strategy. “Warfare and winning in warfare are dependent on strategy — that is the art of the journey,” the CDS observed. Tracing the evolution of warfare, General Chauhan noted that technology is increasingly overshadowing geography in shaping outcomes. “Commanders who understood geography were always able to use it to their benefit. But technology began influencing battles significantly after the invention of gunpowder,” he stated, emphasising the growing dominance of technological capabilities. The CDS highlighted the rapid integration of artificial intelligence and automation in modern combat, saying that warfare is now approaching a historic transition. “Combat has long been between humans, but we are at the cusp of history where future battles could be fought between machines. Human brainpower is being supplemented by AI to take faster decisions than the enemy can react to,” he remarked.Discussing operational challenges, General Chauhan identified urban warfare as one of the toughest modern battlegrounds. “Urban complexes present the most difficult battlefield geometry. The irregular terrain, multiple threat levels, restricted visibility, and civilian presence make combat in cities extremely complex,” he said.