India’s next war may look very different: Anil Chauhan flags ‘cognitive colonialism’, China-Pakistan threats

India's security landscape is rapidly changing, according to former Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan (Retd). In his lecture, titled "Threats & Challenges to India's Security," Chauhan warned that cyber operations, information campaigns, technology, and attempts to influence public thinking are becoming increasingly important in modern conflicts.

He identified cognitive colonialism, Pakistan's nuclear-backed instability, and the unresolved border dispute with China as key challenges facing India. Chauhan described cognitive colonialism as an attempt to shape societies' values, decisions, and future imaginings, focusing on influencing the human mind rather than controlling territory or destroying infrastructure.

He highlighted how geopolitical relationships are becoming more fluid, with countries pursuing narrower strategic interests simultaneously as trade partners and technology rivals. Chauhan emphasized that future conflicts may involve multiple domains beyond traditional military operations, including cyber warfare, electronic warfare, space-based capabilities, economic measures, legal tools, and information campaigns.

He questioned whether India should prepare for short, intense conflicts or prolonged contests requiring national resilience and debated the allocation of defense investment between traditional and emerging areas. Regarding Pakistan, Chauhan emphasized the longstanding, nuclear-backed terrorism and the "stability paradox" where nuclear deterrence coexists with low-level conflict.

He stated that China poses a different and more complex security challenge for India, with an unresolved border dispute and competing perceptions of the Line of Actual Control. Chauhan stressed the importance of strengthening national capabilities across traditional and emerging domains, focusing on strong institutions, threat anticipation, and an engaged citizenry to protect India's national identity while engaging with the world.