Why is it in the news?

• India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, highlighted “grey zone warfare” as the latest form of informal warfare during the 2024 Raisina Dialogue.
• He cited confrontational incidents in the South China Sea involving small boats as an example of this tactic, amid competing territorial claims among several countries in the region.

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 About Grey zone warfare

• It refers to a middle ground between direct conflict and peace in international relations, where actions are ambiguous and fall into a murky area.
• It encompasses various activities such as economic coercion, influence operations, cyberattacks, mercenary operations, assassinations, and disinformation campaigns.
• Grey zone warfare has been present throughout history but gained prominence during the Cold War era due to the restraint on direct conflicts between major powers armed with nuclear weapons.
• Nations engage in grey zone warfare to promote their national objectives through covert aggression or obfuscated actions, especially when direct conflict is deemed too costly or risky.
• Tactics of grey zone warfare are often employed by parties with limited resources to gain an advantage over technically superior adversaries accustomed to conventional warfare.

Examples of Grey Zone Warfare

• South China Sea: China’s actions in the South China Sea, including territorial disputes and confrontational incidents with neighbouring countries, exemplify grey zone warfare tactics.
• Taiwan Strait: Chinese military activities, such as regular fighter flights over the Taiwan Strait, constitute a grey zone strategy aimed at wearing down Taiwan without escalating into full-blown conflict.
• US-China Relations: The United States has also engaged in grey zone tactics against China, including economic sanctions, trade tariffs, and maritime reconnaissance.

Distinctive Features

• Covert and Indirect: Actions in grey zone warfare are often covert or indirect, requiring nuanced responses from affected countries.
• Escalation Dynamics: Grey zone conflicts can escalate across multiple dimensions, leading to unintended over-escalation and complexities in crisis management.
• Strategic Objectives: Grey zone tactics may aim to bait adversaries into escalation, normalize disputed territorial claims, or project strength without direct confrontation.