Why is it in the news?

• China has utilized Grey-zone Warfare tactics in regions such as Taiwan, the South China Sea, India’s border disputes, and more as part of its strategic objectives.

About Grey-zone Warfare

• Grey-zone Warfare is defined as an intermediate space between open conflict and peace, designed to harm an opponent without overtly provoking conflict or alerting them to an attack. It utilizes a blend of conventional and unconventional methods of warfare.
• Strategies like salami slicing involve incremental military actions aimed at gradually seizing enemy territory, along with covert economic activities such as sanctions, cyberattacks, psychological operations like disinformation campaigns, and the use of proxy forces.

Characteristics of Grey-zone Warfare

• Sub-threshold operations: Employing non-military tools to avoid triggering a military response.
• Gradual progression of aggressive actions: A gradual, prolonged approach that can unfold over years or decades, making it challenging for adversaries to mount a strong counter-response.
• Lack of accountability: Perpetrators disavow responsibility for their actions, creating ambiguity and complicating responses.
• Targeted approach: Typically focusing on vulnerable nations with limited ability to retaliate due to internal or strategic constraints.

Recommended Actions

• Enhanced vigilance through active information sharing among allied nations.
• Deterrence through demonstrating capability and upholding a rule-based international order.

India’s approach to countering Grey-zone Warfare

• Coordination by the Chief of Defence Staff to align the efforts of the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy.
• Promotion of self-reliance in defence manufacturing through initiatives like the Defence Procurement Procedure (DAP) 2020.
• Collaboration with like-minded countries, demonstrated through agreements such as the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) with the United States.
• Establishment of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and other relevant measures.