The country must prepare for 'Hybrid Warfare'

New Delhi: The country’s adversaries have made considerable strides in everything from sophisticated technology to hybrid warfare. It can be used against India to its full potential. Keeping this in mind, India should be ready for ‘Hybrid Warfare’; Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari has given a message. The Air Force Chief appears to have issued this cautionary warning while highlighting the threat of anti-India activities by power centres worldwide and drawing attention to the security situation in neighbouring countries.

India’s neighbouring countries do not have an ideal security situation. The Air Force chief pointed out that this could affect India’s security. The Air Force Chief made aware by clarifying on this occasion that along with the economic progress the country is making, the possible threat to the country is also increasing. The Ukraine conflict has massively hit all the nations of the world. Inflation has skyrocketed in some countries, and political and economic instability is getting to see in these countries. Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Choudhari drew attention to the fact that India’s uniqueness is visible worldwide, and India is making tremendous economic progress.

This country’s progress will catch the eyes of the world’s significant power centres, and they will not stop short of plotting against India; the Air Force Chief said this without a direct mention. The country’s adversaries have enormous capabilities on fronts that fall under the range of ‘hybrid warfare’ and sophisticated technology. It can be used against India to its full potential. Considering this in mind, the Air Chief further said that India should be ready to face ‘hybrid warfare’.

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Choudhari also informed that work has begun on this front, saying that as the country progresses economically, it becomes necessary to reflect on the investment in advanced technology related to security and other essentials. The Indian Air Force will have to enhance its capabilities to face threats that include conventional, non-conventional and both types of warfare. He said that as we speak, new technologies, systems, and types of warfare are being worked potently. The enemies of the country have mastered this. Therefore, we must have more advanced technology to overcome them, the Air Chief asserted.

The Chief of the Air Force forewarned that in the future, we could live in a situation of ‘No War, No Peace’, i.e. neither war nor peace. Earlier speaking on possible threats to the country’s security, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had warned a caution in almost the exact words. Hybrid warfare uses advanced techniques to exhaust the enemy by working on raw links without engaging in direct combat. Along with diplomatic campaigns, this involves devious plans to disrupt the country’s economic, political and social order. For this, substantial efforts are made to carry out a campaign of disinformation and false propaganda and to undermine the confidence of that country. While all this happens, even a plan is secretly executed to crack down on that country’s military. From the statement of the Air Force Chief, there are clear indications that the use of such a hybrid war system has started against India. In particular, the realisation made by the Air Force Chief that significant power centres worldwide who do not tolerate this progress can use their capabilities against India by citing India’s economic progress becomes very important.