Strategic Countermeasures to China's Multi-Domain Warfare Against India

 Purpose: To provide a strategic and actionable framework for policymakers to counter China’s hybrid warfare strategies affecting India’s sovereignty, security, and regional influence.

 

1. Countering Chinese Cyber Warfare

Threat: Persistent state-sponsored cyber intrusions into Indian government and private sector infrastructure.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen CERT-In and NCIIPC.
• Promote indigenous cybersecurity solutions.
• Institutionalize cyber hygiene audits.
• Develop offensive cyber capabilities.

 

2. Combating Chinese Information Warfare & Influence Operations

Threat: Narrative manipulation, misinformation, and strategic psychological operations to erode public trust and decision-making.

Recommendations:

• Establish a national counter-information warfare task force.
• Deploy real-time counter-narrative mechanisms.
• Increase transparency and resilience in media and academia.
• Implement foreign funding disclosures for think tanks and influencers.

 

3. Enhancing Maritime and Coastal Security

Threat: Growing Chinese naval presence and dual-use maritime infrastructure in India’s vicinity.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen Indian Navy’s blue-water capability.
• Expand coastal surveillance with AI and drones.
• Develop strategic outposts (e.g., Andaman & Nicobar).
• Deepen QUAD and IOR naval cooperation.

 

4. Protecting India’s Space Assets

Threat: China’s anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities and expanding space-based reconnaissance.

Recommendations:

• Expand Space Situational Awareness (SSA).
• Harden critical satellites.
• Formulate a dedicated Space Security Doctrine.
• Pursue space cooperation with allies.

 

5. Securing Strategic Supply Chains

Threat: Over-dependence on Chinese supply chains for critical goods and minerals.

Recommendations:

• Localize key manufacturing sectors.
• Incentivize import substitution.
• Build national reserves of rare earths.
• Diversify trade via QUAD and IPEF.

 

6. Countering Chinese Influence in India’s Neighborhood

Threat: China's economic, political, and military engagements with neighboring countries.

Recommendations:

• Revitalize the "Neighborhood First" policy.
• Increase Indian development aid and infrastructure projects.
• Promote regional connectivity alternatives to BRI.
• Enhance defense cooperation with SAARC/BIMSTEC members.

7. Tackling Chinese Diplomatic Warfare in Global Forums

Threat: Chinese dominance in UN and other multilateral bodies.

Recommendations:

• Secure Indian presence in global regulatory bodies.
• Propose reforms in multilateral institutions.
• Form voting blocs with democracies.
• Internationalize Chinese violations in forums like UNHRC and WHO.

8. Neutralizing the China-Pakistan Strategic Axis

Threat: Coordinated China-Pakistan operations and infrastructure developments (e.g., CPEC).

Recommendations:

• Prepare for two-front conflicts.
• Monitor and expose CPEC’s violations of Indian sovereignty.
• Strengthen integrated command along western and northern sectors.
• Collaborate with Gulf and Central Asian countries for strategic balance.

 

9. Defending Against Chinese Biological and Chemical Threats

Threat: Dual-use biological research, lack of transparency, and absence of international oversight.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen DRDO’s biological defense programs.
• Pass national biosecurity legislation.
• Establish biothreat early-warning systems.
• Lead BTWC modernization initiatives.

 

Conclusion

India must confront China’s multi-pronged aggression with a unified national strategy. A whole-of-government approach, bolstered by strategic partnerships, self-reliance in critical technologies, and robust information management, is essential to ensure security and regional leadership.