Perception crucial amid weaponisation of narratives in modern warfare: Senior Army officer

Lucknow, Mar 7 (PTI) General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army's Central Command, Lt General Anindya Sengupta on Saturday said narratives are increasingly being weaponised in modern conflicts, and perception management has become crucial.

The remarks came at the first Strategic Communication Conclave organised by the Central Command at the Surya Auditorium in Lucknow Cantonment, which saw participation of nearly 500 military officers, diplomats, government communication experts and media professionals.

According to a press statement, Lt General Sengupta in his address pointed out a "fundamental shift" in the nature of conflicts, saying the "battlespace now includes information and cognitive domains".

He said perception management has become crucial as "perception shapes legitimacy, legitimacy shapes influence and influence shapes outcomes." Lt General Sengupta also highlighted the weaponisation of narratives and the growing threat from conflicts below the threshold of war, adding that strategic communication must evolve from being reactive and personality-driven to an institutionalised, doctrine-backed and capability-driven system.

Delivering the keynote address, defence and strategic affairs expert Nitin Gokhale spoke on the theme "Strategic Communication in the Emerging Info Space".

An expert session on institutionalising strategic communication for future preparedness was moderated by Gokhale and featured former diplomats Ruchira Kamboj and Yashvardhan Sinha, along with retired Lieutenant General Raj Shukla.

A special interaction session on strategic communication in emerging multi-domain operations was moderated by Shukla and addressed by former diplomat Dilip Sinha, former IPS officer Shantanu Mukherjee, retired communication professionals Veena Jain and Sharat Chander, and retired Lieutenant General D P Pandey.

Two media panel discussions were also held during the conclave -- the first on "Shaping the Mind Space", and a second on "Information Power and Strategic Communication".

Chief of Staff, Central Command Headquarters, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, summarised the discussions and delivered the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the day-long conclave. PTI CDN ARB ARB