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Article published on the IIRF website on 03 Sep 25.
As India has emerged as a rising maritime power in the Indo-Pacific, the Indian Navy needs to protect its vast sea interests from advanced threats, with China being a significant threat with highly advanced anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities. Rising long-range precision missiles, advanced sensors, and cyber warfare erode the traditional naval formation. Therefore, it is necessary to learn new concepts. The U.S. Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) approach offers a model for India to enhance its maritime strike capability, operational flexibility, and survivability in contested areas, such as the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It is prudent to consider the principles of DMO, their applicability to India’s maritime environment, operational shift, technological enablers, challenges, and strategic implications, and how India can leverage DMO to advance its interests and increase its maritime influence.
The Strategic Environment for India
India’s oceanic space is vital to its economic and security requirements, with 90% of its volumetric trade and 70% of its value trade transiting the IOR. The region contains key chokepoints such as the Malacca Strait, critical for world trade but susceptible to A2/AD measures by competitors, who have increased their naval presence by way of bases in Djibouti and Gwadar. China’s reconnaissance-strike complex, including anti-ship ballistic missiles such as the DF-21D, over-the-horizon radars, and space-based surveillance, challenges India’s power projection and freedom of navigation.
Initiated by the U.S. Navy in 2015, DMO offers a template for India to respond to these challenges. By distributing naval forces, linking them in strong networks, and creating flexible command arrangements, DMO conforms to India’s requirement for a flexible, resilient navy able to manoeuvre in contested seas. DMO is consistent with India’s maritime doctrine, which is centred on sea control, power projection, and regional cooperation through ventures such as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
Core Principles of DMO & Relevance for India
Dispersion with Networked Integration. Dispersal of naval resources across the IOR lowers the chances of detection. India’s warships, including aircraft carriers such as INS Vikrant, destroyers, and frigates, can patrol vast geographies and stay networked with secure C4ISR systems. This facilitates synchronised attacks and situational awareness, imperative in contested regions such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Decentralised Command and Control (C2). DMO prioritises mission command, enabling naval commanders to take quick tactical judgments, crucial for swift responses in evolving situations, e.g., prospective conflicts in the South China Sea or Arabian Sea. This decentralisation helps India better exploit the rapidly changing opportunities with its larger opponents.
Lethality in Distribution. India’s increasing inventory of long-range weapons, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, can be plugged into DMO’s “kill webs,” enabling distributed forces to deliver coordinated attacks. This is debilitating without centralising troops, which is essential to counter enemy anti-ship missiles.
Operational Resilience. By spreading capability across manned and unmanned systems, India can take losses without paralysing operations. Continuity is ensured through backup systems, essential for sustained operations in prolonged conflicts.
Integration of Unmanned Systems. Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface ships (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) can add to India’s sensor and strike capabilities. Initiatives such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) development of unmanned systems fall within the ambit of DMO’s focus on autonomous platforms.
All-Domain Synergy. DMO’s multi-domain approach bridges India’s naval operations with air, space, cyber, and land resources. Integrating with the Indian Air Force and Indian Army, and space assets, enhances collaborative operations and conforms to India’s transition towards tri-service integration.
Operational Framework for India
Historically, India’s maritime operations have been focused on carrier battle groups, such as those commanded by INS Vikramaditya. DMO alters the focus to a networked fleet system, with destroyers, frigates, submarines, and drones operating as nodes in the IOR. For instance, a DMO context could be a destroyer off the Arabian Sea coast, a P-8I Poseidon flying over the Bay of Bengal, and unmanned platforms off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, all communicating in real-time to synchronise a missile attack on an enemy fleet.
India’s Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is a tri-service command, and similar structure on the western islands, can serve as a hub for DMO, like the U.S. Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Islands with forward bases can accommodate sensors, anti-ship missiles, and logistics, advancing India’s presence in contested seas and depriving enemies of sea control. This multi-layered approach makes the enemy fight from all sides, increasing India’s strategic depth.
Technological Enablers
DMO implementation is based on leveraging and building the most important technologies:-
C4ISR Systems. India’s Naval Communication Satellite GSAT-7 and GSAT-7R will provide robust communications. Coupling with Tactical Data Links (as Link 16 of NATO) can improve data exchange between platforms, essential for network operations.
Unmanned Systems. DRDO’s work with UAVs and USVs for naval surveillance aligns well with DMO’s emphasis on autonomous platforms. Investments in UUVs in the future can enhance underwater reconnaissance and strike capabilities.
Long-Range Precision Weapons. The long-range BrahMos missile and future hypersonic variants enable distributed forces to strike from considerable ranges. Platform integration with the Scorpene-class submarines enhances DMO’s capability to strike.
Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI can process sensor data, assist in autonomous operations, and augment decision-making, minimising the burden on Indian naval operators in intricate scenarios.
Cyber and Electronic Warfare. India’s growing cyber capabilities, such as the Navy’s Information Warfare divisions, can jam adversary systems and networks, while electronic decoys defend Indian forces.
Implementation Strategies
To achieve DMO, the Indian Navy can focus on:-
Force Design. Maintain a balanced force structure. Invest in small, nimble platforms like the Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV) and unmanned vessels to augment larger vessels, increasing fleet adaptability.
Technological Development. Expedite DRDO’s unmanned systems efforts and invest in jam-resistant, secure communications for A2/AD environments.
Doctrinal Evolution. Revise India’s Maritime Doctrine to include DMO principles, with a focus on networked operations and decentralised C2. Exercises such as MALABAR and TROPEX can hone DMO tactics.
Training. Foster initiative-driven leadership through training initiatives, training officers for decentralised decision-making in contested environments.
Regional Cooperation. Enhance interoperability with friendly foreign countries and other IOR navies, incorporating DMO principles in joint exercises and operations.
Challenges
Implementing DMO poses a number of challenges for India:-
Communications Resilience. Enemy cyber and electronic warfare capabilities pose a threat to network stability. India needs to create backup, secure C2 systems for sustaining connectivity under hostile conditions.
Sustainment Logistics. Resupplying scattered forces over the long and wide IOR calls for creative logistics, e.g., resupply ships autonomously or pre-positioning stock at locations such as Lakshadweep.
Technological Deficits. India needs to induce critical technologies in its defence production ecosystem. Urgent acceleration of indigenous development and cooperation with international partners is needed.
Resource Limitations. Limited budgets and other priority defence requirements could stall investments in new platforms, weapons, and networks.
Institutional Adjustment. The move to decentralised command schemes would necessitate significant training and institutional transformation.
Strategic Implications
The Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) framework greatly enhances India’s Indo-Pacific strategic interests by strengthening deterrence against Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) approaches. DMO’s enduring and lethal operational reach demonstrates power in the face of A2/AD threats, thus complementing India’s deterrence posture and communicating its capability to counter aggression effectively. In addition, the DMO’s flexible architecture aligns with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy, fostering maritime security cooperation with countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Through the dominance of key trade routes and chokepoints, DMO also protects India’s economic interests by facilitating an uninterrupted supply chain in the IOR and enhancing regional stability.
Future Outlook
As India develops its technological prowess, DMO can be enhanced to incorporate AI-powered battle management, autonomous swarming strategies, and space-based sensors. Friendly countries’ collaborative efforts in the mutual development of unmanned systems can speed DMO adoption. Activities such as MILAN exercise and bilateral patrols in the IOR can be used to experiment with DMO ideas, enhancing tactics and coordination. DMO could redefine India’s naval force structure in the long run, with a focus on networked, nimble platforms, aligned with global naval warfare trends.
Conclusion
Distributed Maritime Operations give India a new way to counter A2/AD threats and exercise maritime dominance in the Indo-Pacific. By dispersing forces, drawing on network integration, and building dynamic command structures, India can increase its naval survival and effectiveness against sophisticated opponents such as China. Though aspects related to communication resilience, logistics, and technology gaps would challenge the implementation of DMO, it nevertheless serves India’s strategic interests and overall vision for the Indo-Pacific. The Indian Navy can leverage DMO to protect its maritime interests and shape the direction of maritime warfare in a contested space by implementing doctrinal changes and promoting regional cooperation.
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Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from reliable and accurate sources. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for wider dissemination.
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Amidst a world consumed by status, achievement, and power, there exists one simple phrase that is distinct: “It’s nice to be important. But it’s more important to be nice.” This mantra, typically associated with successful and famous individuals, represents an enduring reality. Niceness, rather than importance, has a lasting effect. Combined with the concept of “holding the door open,” it challenges us to place empathy, respect, and generosity above self-aggrandisement. This view challenges us to reimagine what it means to be a meaningful person in an extremely competitive, status-oriented culture. I always advocated “First be a good human being, then anything else (officer or professional), and ‘keep your head on your shoulders and feet on the ground”.
Fundamentally, the quote recognises the lure of significance. Getting noticed through a well-respected job title, a big social media following, or popular applause is gratifying. Importance means opening doors, bestowing influence, and usually bestowing tangible advantages. But the latter half of the quote kindly reminds us that being pleasant is even more important. Kindness, expressed through little things such as holding the door or bigger things such as advising a coworker, transcends the fleeting quality of status. It’s a currency anyone can access, with no riches or strength necessary—only will.
The slogan “Hold the Door Open” turns this concept into an empowering metaphor. Literally, to hold a door is a small act, a quick delay to facilitate someone’s passage. Figuratively, it is making room for others—providing opportunities, fostering inclusivity, and exercising respect. It’s about noticing the dignity in the people around us, whether strangers, coworkers, or friends. This tiny thing encapsulates the spirit of niceness: caring about others more than oneself, if only for a moment.
Kindness.
Importance is fleeting. Titles come and go, awards tarnish, and social media numbers rise and fall with algorithms. But kindness lingers. Others will forget your title or the trophies lining your shelf, but they will never forget how you made them feel—cherished, held, or elevated. As Maya Angelou famously noted, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Niceness makes memories that endure.
Furthermore, niceness brings folks together. In workplaces, compassionate leaders create cohesive, high-performing teams. A 2018 Journal of Social Psychology study found that individuals with a focus on status tend to experience more stress and less life satisfaction, and those who emphasise relationships report more well-being. Niceness creates trust, deepens bonds, and encourages collaboration. In our everyday lives, it creates communities in which individuals feel seen and respected, combating loneliness that is now rampant in our age of technology.
The ripple effect of kindness is another reason that it is of great importance. One act, such as holding a door open or saying a nice word, can lead others to perform the same. Research in positive psychology, such as studies conducted by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, indicates that acts of kindness increase happiness for both the recipient and the giver of the act, perpetuating a “virtuous cycle” of kindness. This ripple effect of kindness can change workplaces, neighbourhoods, and even cyberspace, areas where conflict too often dominates.
The Myth of Kindness as Weakness
Others view kindness as a weakness, especially in a competitive environment where toughness pays. They misunderstand niceness as passivity or naivety and think it leaves one open to exploitation. Kindness, however, is not weakness—it’s strength. It takes guts to choose compassion over ego, even when confronted with hostility or apathy. Being nice does not equate to conflict avoidance or compromising standards; it means facing problems with dignity and integrity.
Kindness: Real-World Impact
What’s wonderful about kindness is that it’s simple to practice. It doesn’t require grand gestures or a high position—just intention. Consider Jadav Payeng, the “Forest Man of India,” who transformed a barren sandbar into a thriving forest. Without seeking fame, he began planting trees in the 1970s on a desolate island in Assam’s Brahmaputra River, dedicating decades to nurturing a 1,400-acre forest that now supports diverse wildlife. His work is like holding the door open for future generations, showing that ordinary individuals can create extraordinary change through kindness.
In daily life, small actions add up. A teacher staying late to help a struggling student, a neighbor assisting an elderly resident with errands, or a colleague sharing credit on a project—these small acts may not grab headlines, but they transform lives. In the business world, companies like Amul embody this spirit. Founded under the leadership of Dr. Verghese Kurien, Amul empowered millions of Indian farmers through its cooperative model, prioritizing fair trade and community welfare over mere profit. By keeping the door open for rural livelihoods, Amul shows that businesses can thrive while placing kindness at the heart of success.
Practical Practices
Adopting this ethic is simple but revolutionary. These are five ways to practice kindness every day:
Active Listening. Listen to someone with your undivided attention without judging. Being heard is a great gift that validates others’ experiences.
Mentorship and Support. Give back by sharing knowledge or opportunities with newcomers. A single interaction can provide new opportunities.
Supporting Others. Leverage your platform—however small—to share others’ success or cause, encouraging inclusivity.
Everyday Gestures. Smile at a stranger, thank a service worker, or provide assistance without being requested. These minor gestures breed a culture of kindness.
Community Involvement. Give back, give your time, or donate to local charities. Small acts contribute to big changes.
The Legacy of Kindness
At the end of life, few are remembered by their titles or fortunes. Rather, it is the anecdotes of kindness—how one made others feel valued, nurtured, or inspired—that endure. According to a 2020 Frontiers in Psychology study, acts of altruism relate to increased life satisfaction and decreased stress, suggesting that kindness does good for others and blesses our own lives. Holding the door open for another is a legacy that surpasses fleeting moments of significance.
In an interconnected but too often fractured world, kindness is a courageous act. Social media amplifies egos and the quantifications of “importance,” yet a kind word, the willingness to listen, or to share someone’s triumph can shift the dynamic of our interactions. According to the World Health Organisation, with increasing levels of depression and anxiety, small gestures of kindness—such as visiting a friend or offering a compliment—can counteract loneliness and foster a sense of connection.
Conclusion
“Nice to be important. But more important to be nice” is not just a catchphrase—yet it may be the key to an extraordinary life. Opening the door, whether in small acts of kindness or great sacrifice, makes the world a place where every individual has a chance to thrive. Genuine greatness is not measured by how high we climb but by how many we bring with us.
So next time you’re walking toward a door—literal or metaphorical—pause. Turn around. Someone may be counting on you to leave the door open. In that instant, you validate a fact the world so desperately needs to hear: kindness is the currency of our age, a brilliance outshining status and outlasting years. Let’s opt to leave the door open, showing that being nice is not only vital—it’s everything.
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Information and data included in the blog are for educational & non-commercial purposes only and have been carefully adapted, excerpted, or edited from reliable and accurate sources. All copyrighted material belongs to respective owners and is provided only for wider dissemination.
References:-
Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House, 2018.
Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. Simon and Schuster, 1936.
Chouinard, Y. Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman.
Fredrickson, Barbara L. Love 2.0: Creating Happiness and Health in Moments of Connection.
Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam Books, 1995.
Grant, Adam. Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success. Viking, 2013.
Keltner, Dacher. The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence. Penguin Press, 2016.
Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111–131.
