Recently Union Defence minister underlined the dangers of hybrid warfare to India. Hybrid warfare refers to the use of unconventional methods as part of a multi-domain warfighting approach. In it, apart from conventional military tactics, non-military tools are used to achieve dominance or damage, subvert or influence.
These tools may include misinformation campaigns, perception management, economic manipulation and proxy battles, which aim to disrupt and disable an opponent’s actions without engaging in open hostilities.
Characteristics of Hybrid Warfare
1. Multi-Domained: It is a combination of activities, including disinformation, economic manipulation, use of proxies and insurgencies, diplomatic pressure and military actions.
2. Maximum Damage With Minimum Effort: It targets highly vulnerable areas, where maximum damage can be caused with minimum effort.
3. Deploying Non-State Actors: Usually non-state actors’ involvement is supported by states, to exonerate themselves of any involvement, if detected.
4. Adaptability and Flexibility: Their strategies are highly flexible as they use conventional along unconventional methods to adapt themselves according to the target.
Examples of hybrid warfare are Russia’s activities in Ukraine, the Syrian Civil War, and China’s approach in the South China Sea. All these deployed actual military operations, cyberattacks, psychological operations, cyber espionage etc.
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Implications of Hybrid Warfare
1. Political Destabilization: The continued spread of lies and propaganda attempts to bring distrust in all governmental institutions across the board.
2. Economic Losses: Tactics such as sanctions, a cyber-attack on the national financial system, or smart sabotage, eventually, devastate an economy.
3. Dilution of Sovereignty: Covert activities used by non-state actors and proxy forces also dilute state sovereignty and complicate state response.
4. Increased Expense of Defense: It increases the expense for defence expenditure, which ranges from kinetic to non-kinetic types of warfare, which include cyber warfare and counter-propaganda.
5. Social Effect: Psychological operations and fake news bring a social division leading to unrest and tearing of the social fabric.
Preparedness for Hybrid warfare is crucial for several reasons
- Evolving Threat Landscape: because of technological advancement, adversaries increasingly use cyber and information warfare tactics. India must adapt to these evolving threats.
- Deterrence: Robust hybrid warfare defence can deter aggressors by demonstrating the ability to counteract, thereby reducing the likelihood of conflict.
- Protection of Critical Infrastructure: These attacks often target vital systems, such as power grids and communication networks.
- So preparedness ensures resilience and rapid recovery from potential disruptions.
India’s Preparedness for Hybrid Warfare
1. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Theaterisation: The creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in 2019 was a major reform which aimed at integrating the three armed forces—Army, Navy, and Air Force
2. Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs): India has restructured its military formations into IBGs, which are fast-response units capable of dealing with both conventional as well as hybrid threats.
3. Make in India in Defense: This self-sufficiency is significant for countering security concerns
4. International Cooperation: India works with the United States, Australia, and Japan within the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) framework to address issues like cybersecurity, maritime security, and counterterrorism.
5. Defence Cyber Agency: India operationalised the Defence Cyber Agency in 2021 to specifically address cyber threats to national security.
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Way Ahead
With modern warfare changing in terms of its core facets, conflicts are much more than the employment of direct, physical force.
India can focus on the following areas to prepare for Hybrid warfare:
- First and foremost, invest in advanced cybersecurity infrastructure and train specialized personnel.
- Also, develop capabilities for cyber retaliation and offensive cyber operations.
- Promote strategic communication and public diplomacy to defend against external narratives.
- Develop training programs for military and intelligence personnel in hybrid warfare tactics.
- Collaborate with like-minded nations to share intelligence and counter hybrid threats.
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Conclusion
Thus, the Indian government along with governments across the world should establish a process to develop a national approach to self-assessment and threat analysis. Institutionalizing a process regarding threat and vulnerability information will enhance hybrid warfare early warning efforts, assist resiliency efforts, and may even have a deterrent effect.