While cyber offenses can be effective at the lower end of the cyber spectrum in disinformation campaigns, targeted hacking, and influencing campaigns, higher end cyber offenses are generally less effective than their kinetic counterparts. Regardless, India’s current primary focus on defensive capabilities is both more challenging than developing strong offensive capabilities and less effective than having both. With significant provocation presented by both China and Pakistan, India needs stronger offensive and retaliatory capabilities that extend into presence-based and event-based operations. Presence-based cyber operations are defined as being more protracted and focused on intelligence gathering, with a larger presence in adversarial infrastructure and networks. Event-based cyber operations are defined as shorter, more aggressive attacks with a limited presence in adversarial networks. While cyber operations by themselves may be ineffective, those combined with electronic warfare and kinetic operations, as well as those focused on intelligence collection, have much larger impacts. India should not only integrate currently-separated technical agencies, but also focus on leveraging existing IT infrastructure and civilian hackers.
