Seeking to build greater synergy among the tri-services and enhancing its joint fighting capabilities, the armed forces on Wednesday released two doctrines, one for perception management and psychological operations and the other for air and land operations.
Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik released the two joint operational doctrines, formulated by the Doctrine Directorate of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS). The IDS was set up after the 1999 Kargil war to bring about synergy among the three services.
The Joint Doctrine for Air-Land Operations will serve as the keystone doctrinal document for employment of military power in a joint operation scenario. It establishes the framework of concepts and principles to understand the approach to planning and conduct of air-land operation in a conventional war scenario. It lays down organisations and procedures that will leverage the available technology towards synergistic application of air power, a Defence Ministry release said.
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Military psychological operations constitute a planned process of conveying a message to select target audiences, to promote particular themes that result in desired attitudes and behaviour which affect the achievement of political and military objectives.
It said that given the potential benefit of psychological operations as an effective force multiplier, its use in support of military aims and objectives is considerable. The doctrine also provides guidelines for activities related to perception management in sub-conventional operations, especially in an internal environment wherein misguided population may have to be brought into the mainstream.