Impact of Indian Hybrid Warfare on Human Security in Pakistan

Conflict in the 21st century has altered the traditional concept of war from conventional military engagements to intricate and a multidimensional form of conflict. For the new Strategic World, Hybrid warfare has emerged as one of the means where a State can achieve its strategic objectives without the use of war. The hybrid warfare strategy of India in South Asia since 2019 has seen the use of non-kinetic tools to impact the outcomes, exert pressure and mould the narratives against Pakistan. This shift has a broad impact on human security not just in the military sector, but in all aspects of economic, social and psychological security. These processes are a direct threat to human security as they impact individuals' safety, dignity and livelihood opportunities.

Hybrid warfare is the use of a mixture of conventional and non-conventional tactics such as information warfare, cyber warfare, economic sanctions, and psychological warfare to try to take advantage of an enemy's vulnerabilities. It’s a grey zone approach, and attribution and responses get more difficult. In conventional warfare, the battlefield is physical, in hybrid warfare the battlefield is mental and societal. It aims to influence thoughts, perceptions and responses; it has made society the principal battleground of war. Now warfare isn't limited to the battlefields, it has been expanded to beliefs, paradigms and perceptions.

An important aspect of hybrid war is information war, which involves the deliberate use of misinformation and disinformation to influence the national and international perception. Pakistan has been a victim of propaganda campaigns, aimed to project it as unstable and insecure. The recent exposure of an extensive disinformation network by European Disinformation Laboratory (EU DisinfoLab) indicated how the creation of fake websites and bogus media outlets were used to spread anti-Pakistan narratives around the world. These activities not only hurt the images of Pakistan in the world but also spoil the integrity of the nation and are responsible for dividing and building mistrust among the people. In this sense, information manipulation is used as an instrument to attack social fabric and create perceptions. Hybrid strategies are further amplified in the cyber domain. Pakistan has more than 120 million internet users and a growing cyber space which are vulnerable to cyber threats. At the same time, polarization of society through the spread of polarizing messages on social media platforms.As countries become more connected online, it is easier to influence online discourses, which affects the psychological and information aspects of human security.

The psychological warfare in tandem with the information and cyber attacks, aims to instill fear, doubt and panic. The hybrid actors aim to sow doubt in the state on the grounds of sensational threats, fake reports and emotional appeals. This, without the involvement of active conflicts, weakens the population's sense of security. Citizens become distrustful of information, government and the security of their surroundings. It gives rise to a brand new human insecurity, having a psychological impact on the national integrity and capacity to respond to a crisis in society. Another component of hybrid warfare is economic pressure. Worldwide, a negative impression of political and security risks will discourage FDI and economic growth. The grey listing of Pakistan by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a clear example that international pressure can have a significant effect on financial stability and reputation. FATF, which is a technical organisation, has had more far-reaching economic and reputational impacts on Pakistan as a result of the listing. The economic instability is associated with the deterioration of the employment, the livelihood and the access to basic services, which consequently leads to individual and societal vulnerability.

Hence, hybrid warfare is not targeting the State, but human beings. Hybrid solutions are also being considered in the Kashmir conflict. The narratives are presented via diplomatic, media and international channels which can encourage support on the international arena. This battle of narratives is not only taking place on the international level, but also at the Pakistani level, influencing people's opinions and sentiments. The fight over recognition and legitimacy shows how the modern war is being fought more in the realm of ideas where possession of narrative can be as significant as possession of territory.

Hybrid warfare thus re-idefines the security threats by bringing them to the human side. The outcome will not be decided on the battlefield, it will be decided by controlling the stories. The comprehensive strategy is required to fight the effects of hybrid warfare. To ensure the security of information and critical infrastructure, there must be cyber resilience measures. Another need is for good strategic communication to counter the power of propaganda and to disseminate credible messages. Media literacy programs can help them to differentiate information, avoiding vulnerability to information manipulation. In order to address hybrid threats, there is a need for inter-institutional coordination between the public and private sector institutions, regulatory agencies and non-governmental organizations. Besides, there is a need to strengthen international relations and diplomatic relations with other countries, as far as image of Pakistan in the world arena is concerned, to fight back aggressive discourses.

To sum up, Indian hybrid warfare is a multi-dimensional challenge to the human security of Pakistan which targets information systems, digital infrastructure, economic stability and public perception. Contemporary warfare is no longer about control over the territory but it extends to shaping narratives and influences the way society behaves. Such processes can have a direct effect on human security, as they affect social cohesion, psychological stability and economic resilience. To mitigate these risks, a new security paradigm must be adopted and a more comprehensive strategy of resilience and awareness in the community must be implemented. Failure to adapt to such challenges, the increasing use of hybrid strategies will only enhance insecurity in an already weak regional environment.