Greying threat: India must have its version of China’s fusion of civil and military in naval deployment

Source: The post is based on the article “Greying threat: India must have its version of China’s fusion of civil and military in naval deployment” published in The Times of India on 26^th September 2022.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

Relevance: To build India’s grey-zone capabilities.

News: Indian Army chief has recently emphasised the need to develop India’s grey-zone capabilities.

What are grey-zone capabilities?

The grey zone describes a set of activities that occur between peace and war situations. Generally, grey-zone activities are considered gradualist campaigns by state and non-state actors that combine non-military and quasi-military tools.

These are actions that fall below the threshold of armed conflict which aims to thwart, destabilize, weaken, or attack an adversary. They are often tailored toward the vulnerabilities of the target state. For instance, nefarious economic activities, influence operations, cyberattacks, mercenary operations, assassinations, and disinformation campaigns, etc.

China and grey-zone capabilities

China over the last decade has emerged as a fine practitioner of grey-zone warfare. They have an excellent fusion between their civilian and military naval assets.

For instance, a) The so-called Chinese scientific vessel, Yuan Wang 5 was docked at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port. In reality, it was a spy ship capable of tracking intercontinental missiles, b) Chinese deploying civilian trawlers and a maritime militia to assert their maritime claims in the South China Sea, c) China’s so-called Nine Dash Line cartographical innovation that laid claim to almost all of the South China Sea region, d) They even encroach upon traditional fishing grounds and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of neighbouring states. For instance, 220 Chinese fishing vessels had intruded into the Whitsun Reef area, which is part of the Philippines’ EEZ.

Chinese civilian-military maritime forces mean formidable strategic and tactical worries for India.

What India needs to do to improve its grey-zone capabilities?

India needs to a) Seriously upgrade its coastal defence and sharpen its naval fleet, b) Along with INS Vikrant, India needs many more high-tech naval vessels and listening posts to counter the China threat.