The battlefield is no longer just a line of control — it’s a network. A mesh of drones, cyber grids, simulations, and real-time intel where officers must think as fast as machines.
Warfare today hums with satellites, sensors, and silent streams of data — and officers like ex-Army officer Wrishi Hom Choudhury are at the centre of this transformation. Trained in classic soldiering yet fluent in the digital grammar of modern conflict, he has navigated operations where intelligence dashboards matter as much as terrain maps, and where decisions unfold in milliseconds. The evolution of defence in India is similar to the evolution of defence via the human grit to support technology precision.
As a professional soldier, he embodies the values found in the highest standards of military service. He has been recommended for the prestigious Sena Medal for Gallantry for his courage and selflessness when faced with danger, as well as the Chief of Army Staff’s Commendation Tab for operational excellence in his actions, and as such exemplifies superior performance with strategy impact within military operations. His professional experience provides ample evidence of his ability to lead troops in difficult environments, perform operational planning, conduct counter-insurgency operations, and lead complex logistics and administration.
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Warfare today isn’t just fought on the ground but also through data, intelligence, and precision tech. How do you see technology redefining the modern battlefield?
Technology has turned battles into multi-domain contests where speed of information and decisioning matter as much as firepower. I’ve seen how precision sensors, information operations and data analytics change the tempo. They enable small, distributed teams to create disproportionate and multiplier effects by shaping narratives, fusing real-time intel, and driving precision responses. The key shift is now advantage is with units that can ingest varied data, collate and turn it into actionable insight, and execute rapidly with disciplined command and control.
As an officer trained for both strategy and on-ground execution, how do you balance human instinct with the growing role of artificial intelligence in defence planning?
I perceive AI as an amplification layer. It amplifies reach and speeds analysis but does not replace command judgment. In the field, I’ve used analytic outputs to narrow options and understand patterns. However, the final decisions still require personal judgment, context awareness and an appreciation of risk. Practically, I would attribute AI for scenario generation, consideration of asymmetric metrics, real time identification of targets, etc. Thereafter, I would apply various filters, ethics, local knowledge, and intuition, before committing forces.
How has the Indian Army’s digital transformation changed the way missions are planned and executed?
Digital tools have converted planning from paper-based, periodic cycles into continuous, data-driven flows. It enables faster, more surgical operations and better multi-agency coordination. The outcome is improved targeting accuracy, fewer collateral effects, and the ability to adapt plans.
Leadership in high-stakes environments demands real-time decision-making. How do you use analytical tools or simulations to support those split-second calls?
Before committing troops there are continuous rapid simulations and checklists that stress-test options at various formation levels. The ultimate aim is to reduce cognitive load and improve execution in a highly fluid scenario.
What are the ethical challenges that come with the militarisation of technology — from drones to surveillance systems?
Ethical issues center on proportionality, privacy, attribution and escalation risk. The ethical imperative is governance with clear ROEs, audit trails, legal oversight (judicial or administrative), and transparency where feasible.
How do you see emerging tech like autonomous systems and cyber warfare shaping the next generation of soldiers?
Soldiers will need hybrid skill-sets involving tactical judgement plus digital literacy. Autonomous systems will offload routine tasks and extend sensing, while cyber threats will require defenders who understand cyber hygiene, resilience and attribution. Training will shift with fewer repetitive drills, more mission-simulation, data literacy and decision-making using multiple systems.
Having led men in high-pressure zones, what’s your take on the ‘human-tech interface’ — where data ends, and gut instinct begins?
Data should inform and narrow choices and finally, instinct closes the loop. Gut is essential when data is incomplete, deceptive, or when values and lives are at stake. The approach would be to use data to reduce uncertainty but preserve human accountability by empowering junior leaders with data-backed guidance.
Do you think the future soldier will rely more on machines than on instinct?
They’ll rely more with machines where machines will be for detection, and humans for nuance and rules of engagement. The soldier’s role evolves toward systems operator, integrator and real time decision-maker. Instinct remains critical for ambiguous situations where human judgement must interpret technological cues. It is the only way for sustaining our systems in any future conflicts we may face.
How do you see India’s defence sector evolving with the rise of indigenous tech startups and private innovation?
India’s defence ecosystem is at an inflection point with rapid prototyping, niche sensing solutions and affordable ISR platforms from startups, that can close capability gaps and reduce import dependency. My experience shows that marrying technical credibility with economic justification is the unlock as procurement needs streamlined risk-sharing and commercial frameworks to scale innovation.
Beyond medals and missions, what does ‘service to the nation’ truly mean to you in today’s complex, digital-first world?
Service has a sustained impact protecting citizens, building resilient institutions, and enabling prosperity. Today it also means nurturing indigenous capability, safeguarding data and civic freedoms, and mentoring the next generation to handle hybrid threats. Service is both duty on the ground, and shaping systems that secure the future
You’re now part of ISB’s PGP Class of 2026 — what inspired you to take this leap?
I chose ISB to complement my operational experience with structured business frameworks and strategy. My work exposed me to financial trade-offs and the need for commercial fluency. ISB’s dynamic curriculum and peer network will fast-track my pivot into my future endeavours, where I can scale impact beyond the uniform.
ISB’s cohort brings together entrepreneurs, technologists, and policy minds. How has interacting with them reshaped your understanding of leadership beyond the uniform?
Interacting with entrepreneurs and technologists has broadened my view of leadership from command, and control to enabling ecosystems, where it is critical to setting a vision, empowering teams, and tolerating fast failures. It reinforced that leadership is as much about nurturing scalable processes, and feedback loops, as it is about directive action, a lesson I am going to imbibe in my future action areas.