Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Tuesday unveiled a joint doctrine for conducting cyberspace operations by the three services, in a significant move aimed at streamlining operations in the key domain. The doctrine lays emphasis on understanding military aspects of cyberspace operations and provides conceptual guidance to the military in planning, and achieving desired objectives in the domain.

The release of the key document came as the government looked at rolling out theatre commands to bolster India’s military might.

The defence ministry said operations in cyberspace need to be “dovetailed” into the national security fabric, to evolve the ‘ends’, ‘ways’ and ‘means’ to “create advantage and influence events in all other operational environments and across all instruments of power”.

Gen Chauhan released the ‘joint doctrine for cyberspace operations’ during a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC).

The defence ministry said the doctrine will guide commanders in “conducting cyberspace operations in today’s complex military operating environment”.

It described unveiling of the joint doctrines as an important aspect of “jointness and integration, a step which is being actively pursued by the Indian armed forces”. “The joint doctrine for cyberspace operations is a significant step to give impetus to the ongoing process. In addition to the traditional domains of warfare including land, sea, and air, cyberspace has emerged as a crucial and challenging domain in modern warfare,” it said. “Unlike territorial limits in the domains of land, sea, and air, cyberspace is a global common and hence has shared sovereignty,” it said.

“Hostile actions in cyberspace can impact the nation’s economy, cohesion, political decision making, and the nation’s ability to defend itself,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also explained the significance of cyberspace and the need for a policy approach to link it to national security.

“Operations in cyberspace need to be dovetailed into the national security fabric, to evolve the ‘ends’, ‘ways’ and ‘means’ to create advantage and influence events in all other operational environments and across all instruments of power,” it said.

It said the doctrine lays emphasis on understanding military aspects of cyberspace operations and provides conceptual guidance to commanders, staff and practitioners in the planning, and conduct of operations in cyberspace.

The document also seeks to raise awareness in “our warfighters at all levels”, it added.