Hybrid warfare narrowed the gap between internal and external security -

Gandhinagar: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, ‘We generally see security from two aspects – internal and external. But in the last two decades, it has been seen that the gap between internal and external security is reducing.’ Hybrid warfare has brought this change. According to this warfare system, the security of a country could be jeopardised by misuse of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), judiciary, and democracy, he added. Also, he has warned, ‘An independent social media can be used to carry out systematic propaganda.’

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned while speaking at the Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) programme in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He said technology had developed tremendously, which affects the country’s security. He added that hybrid warfare uses different options to challenge the country’s security. Due to this, the gap between internal and external security has reduced considerably in the last two decades, the Defence Minister claimed.

Social media freedom is not bad. But this freedom can be exploited to launch a propaganda campaign against the country. Moreover, Rajnath Singh warned that dangerous things could be propagated through social media in the name of freedom of expression. The freedom given to NGOs can be used to challenge the security of the country. Besides, by misusing the judicial system, an attempt can be made to slow down the country’s development. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warned that by infiltrating political parties using the democratic system of the country, destructive forces can attack the unity and security of the country.

The Defence Minister also made it clear that this is not a matter of anyone’s imagination but has been mentioned in detail by strategic analysts and the security policies of some countries. Along with this, the threat of terrorism is not only limited to violence, but the terrorist forces also work to spread ‘fake news’ and provocative things using social media to create discord and hatred in society, the Defence Minister added.

Some seminars give the impression of earnest discussions. But in reality, it may be to create discord in society by providing false and misleading information, thereby creating violence. These anti-social forces have become so advanced that they can deceive even the systems of the police force. Therefore, we must be more vigilant in dealing with these challenges facing the country’s security. Rajnath Singh has explicitly said that as new technologies are being developed, we should be aware that threats to the country’s security also increase.