India’s Hybrid Warfare Strategy Implicatons for Pakistan

Abstract

Hybrid warfare, the fifth-generation war is the use of instruments of power including political, diplomatic, economic and military to either exploit enemies existing weaknesses or to create the new one. India and Pakistan both being nuclear states do not directly confront each other rather they use non-traditional means to achieve their political objectives. India has been using such means against Pakistan to destabilize it, and create problems in Pakistan such as disturbance in CPEC, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, Balochistan insurgency and terrorism. There are several implications of India’s hybrid warfare on Pakistan’s economic, political and social stability; which includes loss of the lives of many innocent Pakistanis due to terrorism, social unrest between different identities as a result of PTM, and propagation of a negative image of Pakistan internationally causing huge economic loss, decrease in business investment and unemployment within the country. Pakistan needs a strategy on how to counter India’s moves in every sector. Therefore, using international forum Pakistan should expose India’s intentions, so the international community can realise the gravity of the issue. An effective range of strategies must also be formulated in response to this hybrid warfare. This study analyses the strategies used by India, the implications on Pakistan and sheds light on Pakistan’s National Action Plan and how Pakistan competently responds to Indian Hybrid warfare.