Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu: The Department of Strategic and Regional Studies (DSRS), University of Jammu, organized General Zorawar Singh Memorial Public Lecture on “China’s Cognitive Warfare Ecosystem: Implications and Response by India” today.
The Public Lecture was started by lightening of the lamp and paying tribute to the Bharat Mata by the Chief Guest, Lt. Gen. R.K. Sharma, AVSM (Retd.), the Speaker, Maj. Gen. B.K. Sharma, AVSM, SM (Retd.), Prof. Virender Koundal, Director of DSRS, and other dignitaries.
The keynote address was delivered by Maj. Gen. B.K. Sharma (Retd.), a respected strategic thinker, author, and the former Director of USII, New Delhi, who gave an in-depth Public Lecture on “China’s Cognitive Warfare Ecosystem: Implications and Response by India”.
He began his address by introducing audience to India’s national security landscape gradually shifting his focus to the concepts of different types of war, the role of different actors and means of war.
While presenting a gripping lecture, he shifted his audience gaze from general to specific by emphasizing on how China strategizes against India and how the latter responds to the former’s challenge.
He further shed light on how China’s one-party system controls the warfare system through its control over the media, propaganda machinery, information support force and cyber and space force, and both AI and non-AI driven technology giants.
Thereafter Maj. Gen. Sharma discussed various cognitive operations in Xinxiang and Tibet regions to raise the local identity reengineering society and demonising Dalai Lama. Likewise, he highlighted China’s cognitive operations in Hongkong and Taiwan for political manipulation and strategic encirclement.
He further helped the audience understand China’s various cognitive strategies vis-à-vis India, India’s responding thought process and 5-S strategies through its tri-service against China.
Lt. Gen. R.K. Sharma, AVSM (Retd.), presided over the Public Lecture as the Chief Guest and delivered an impactful set of presiding remarks.
He further elaborated China’s Cognitive Warfare Ecosystem by providing key elements of China’s strategy and how India can counter it.
He also observed that China has consistently pursued a defensive rhetoric to deny any nefarious agenda in Tibet and other neighbouring territories.
Earlier, Prof. Virender Koundal, in his welcome address emphasizing the role and importance of the DSRS as well as raised the awareness about the strategic culture of India and legacy of General Zorawar Singh.
Dr. Mohd. Monir Alam conducted the proceeding of the public lecture in a graceful manner and Dr. Surinder Mohan presented the formal vote of thanks.
The public lecture featured participation from faculty members, defence experts, media persons, research scholars, students, and practitioners from various institutions of the UT of J&K. The informed audience raised different queries and questions.
Particularly, Prof. Satinder Kumar, Dean Law, Prof. Sunita Devi, HoD Economics, Prof. Shallu Sehgal, Pradeep Datta, Dr. Tsering, Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Dr. Suresh Paul, Dr. Anshu, Dr. PP Singh, Dr. Jagmohan, Dr. Mool Raj, Dr. Sweta Choudary, Vishavjeet Singh, Dr. R.S. Sodhi, Dr. Apoorva Jamwal, Dr. Ganesh Malhotra, Dr. Ranjan Sharma, Dr. Sunil Kumar, many eminent academicians, journalists, member of the civil society and students have attended and participated in the seminar.DD
