Conceptualizing new avenues of the Indo-Pak hostilities: an analysis of the invisible PsyWar operations and challenges

Abstract

The modern era of information warfare has also opened new avenues of warfare. “Psychological War” or “PsyWar” has been a non-violent weapon used to attain military aims and objectives against the enemy since biblical times while ensuring the minimal loss of human life. India and Pakistan, after their inception, have been psychologically obsessed with each other on a number of disputes. The disputes between India and Pakistan are considered one of the most long-lasting disputes of the post-World War era. The article specifically covers the Post nuclearization scenario of the Indo-Pak region and the conceptual debate of the re-emergence of PsyWar in the region. The study digs deep into the nuclear dimension of the Indo-Pak crisis, which played a subversive role in aggravating the hostile relationship and its relevance. The psychological dimension of disputes is as crucial as its physical dimension. In the present era of technological advancement in warfare, new concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) have become even more relevant, particularly for a nation-state where the socio-psychological danger is more pronounced. Thus, it is imperative to analyze the notion of PsyWar operations and the role of information warfare in digital theatre to highlight the upcoming regional challenges.