Context:
China has been deploying Grey-zone Warfare tactics to achieve its strategic objective.
Grey-zone Warfare:
- Refers to middle, unclear space that exists between direct conflict and peace.
- Aims to harm an adversary without them feeling threatened or realising they are under attack.
- Uses both conventional and non-conventional means of warfare.
- Examples – Salami slicing, nefarious economic activities (e.g. sanctions), cyberattacks, Psychological operations (e.g. disinformation campaigns), use of proxy forces, etc.
- Salami slicing – Deals with small military actions to conquer opposition’s territory piece by piece
- Characteristics –
- Aggressor uses non-military tools that do not justify a military response.
- It has a gradually unfolding nature thereby reducing opportunities for decisive counter response.
- Aggressor does not accept responsibilities for such activities and hence distracts responses.
- Mostly targets vulnerable countries that have little scope for retaliation
Related Article: Grey zone warfare
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) An Israeli radar system
(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme
(c) An American anti-missile system
(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea.
Answer: (c)
