ABOUT THE BOOK

“A nation is secure not only because of the strength of its soldiers, but because of the vision of those who prepare them for tomorrow’s wars.”
An Era in Olive Green: General Anil Chauhan – Duty, Leadership and Legacy chronicles one of the most transformative periods in the evolution of India’s Armed Forces. More than the story of an exceptional soldier, it is the story of a leader who guided the nation`s military through an era of strategic change, strengthening jointness, accelerating military reforms, advancing Atmanirbharta in defence, embracing emerging technologies, and validating integrated warfighting during Operation SINDOOR. As India’s second Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan played a defining role in shaping a more integrated and future-ready military for a rising India.
Bringing together the perspectives of distinguished military veterans, senior serving and retired officers, strategic thinkers, defence scholars, and research analysts, this edited volume presents a comprehensive, multidimensional assessment of General Anil Chauhan`s tenure as Chief of Defence Staff. Through eighteen chapters, the contributors examine his leadership and strategic vision across a broad spectrum of issues, including military integration, Integrated Theatre Commands, future warfare, deterrence, defence diplomacy, technological transformation, operational readiness, and India’s long-term national security strategy.
Far more than a collection of expert perspectives, An Era in Olive Green is a definitive assessment of one of the most significant phases in India`s military transformation. It is a meaningful contribution to the literature on India`s evolving defence architecture, capturing the ideas, reforms, challenges, achievements, and strategic decisions that defined a landmark era in the nation`s military history. At the heart of this volume lies the story of a leader whose vision and professionalism helped accelerate India`s journey from jointness to integrated combat power. Timely, authoritative, and forward-looking, this book is an essential resource for military professionals, policymakers, strategic thinkers, scholars, students of defence and international relations, and every citizen seeking a clearer understanding of the leadership, reforms, and institutions shaping a stronger, more secure, and self-reliant India.

ABOUT Author

Maj Gen Ashok Kumar, VSM, PhD (Retd), Director General Cenjows is a distinguished Kargil War veteran and an accomplished author with over 700 published articles across more than 30 platforms. He has commanded an Infantry formation in Arunachal Pradesh, overseeing the very terrain where pivotal battles of the 1962 war took place. A former MD of ECHS (2017-2019) and later a Principal Staff Officer at HQ Eastern Command, he brings decades of strategic and operational experience. He has authored two notable books, China Betrays Again and Indian Churnings on the Global Stage, with several more forthcoming. A bilingual writer and an inspiring motivational speaker, he contributes extensively in both Hindi and English.

The editor has known Gen Anil Chauhan since long and has closely worked with him during his tenure as CDS. He conceived the project along with Ms Anshika Gupta, a Research Assistant at CENJOWS to capture multiple facets of the tenure of second CDS so that the readers can understand the complexity of the challenges in the defence domain. The tenure of Gen Chauhan had its high point in directing the conduct of operations at  Apex level during Op Sindoor, an event which has also been showcased in this book.