War Beyond The Battlefield Is Already Here: Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma

The conventional definition of war has undergone a sea change and one must be mindful of the changing ground realities, says former Adjutant General Lt Gen Rakesh Sharma (retd).

A nation may face several wars before actually hitting the battlefield, he told Bharat Shakti Editor-in-Chief Nitin A. Gokhale. Battlefield scenarios may present themselves as cyberattacks, information warfare, perception management, manipulation of public opinion and attempts to disrupt a nation’s social cohesion.

“Everything is war, whether it starts with grey zone, which is short of what we used to know as war, and it goes across to proper war later on. It’s all one continuum,” says Sharma.

Looking at a war only through the prism of the number of casualties is a narrow perception, he adds. “China has taken control of the South China Sea largely without firing a shot.”

In his book ‘War Is a True Chameleon: Strategising for Future Wars in Indian Context, Sharma challenges conventional assumptions about war. Those include defining victory and understanding deterrence.

Deterrence Has Limits

Sharma is cautious about relying too much on deterrence. India’s surgical strikes, Balakot operation and Operation Sindoor may demonstrate military capability but they cannot guarantee Pakistan will shun its hostile intent.

“We must create deterrence but we must not over-rely on deterrence,” he says.

Against a stronger adversary such as China, Sharma believes India must focus on exploiting vulnerabilities rather than just matching Chinese strengths. “We have to plan to address the weaknesses of an adversary, not his strengths,” he argues.

He also stresses that a future conflict with China may not remain confined to the border. It could extend into the maritime, cyber, economic and wider national domains.

National Security Strategy

According to Sharma, India needs a coherent national security strategy that translates political objectives into military capabilities.

“We need to aim and arm together. Strategy, technology and structures all go hand in hand,” he says.

He believes military integration must happen at every level, even at the top. “Without that we will be hamstrung at any time of the war,” he cautions.