Grey Zone Warfare

Grey Zone Warfare

News: On the last day of the 2024 Raisina Dialogue, India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said that
“grey zone warfare” is the latest in informal warfare.

What does grey zone warfare mean?
• Grey zone warfare generally means a middle, unclear space that exists between direct conflict and peace in international relations.
• A blog from the thinktank Atlantic Council quoted Clementine G Starling, a resident fellow in the Transatlantic Security Initiative, as saying, “A multitude of activities fall into this murky in-between — from nefarious economic activities, influence operations, and cyberattacks to mercenary operations, assassinations, and disinformation campaigns.”

What grey zone warfare looks like?
• Experts from the US and Europe have characterised certain Russian and Chinese actions of late as examples of grey zone warfare. It includes the Chinese military’s presence in the South China Sea.

Why is grey zone warfare seen as a separate category of action?
• Firstly, the challenges that grey zone warfare poses differ from those of an open conflict. Here, action is often covert or indirect, meaning a country’s response needs to be appropriate in terms of its scale.

Concerns surrounding Gray zone warfare
• Ambiguity: Gray zone warfare often involves ambiguous actions that are deliberately designed to remain below the threshold of conventional warfare and international diplomatic radar.
• Election Meddling: One of the tactics used in gray zone warfare is election meddling, which can undermine the democratic process and cause political instability.
• Economic Coercion: Economic coercion, such as the use of economic sanctions and debt traps, can destabilize economies and create social unrest.
• Cyber Attacks: Cyber-attacks can disrupt critical infrastructure, steal sensitive information, and spread disinformation.
• Difficulty in Response: Democracies may struggle to respond effectively to gray zone tactics due to their consensus-building approach and the need to adhere to international law.