At the Army War College (AWC), Mhow, journalist and author Shekhar Gupta addressed officers of the ongoing Higher Command Course on October 16, 2026, with a lecture on “Information and Cognitive Warfare: Implications and Way Ahead for India.”
The talk brought attention to how information-related competition is becoming a central part of modern conflict. The source says the discussion looked at information warfare, psychological operations and new digital technologies as factors influencing military and security outcomes.
Gupta told the officers that warfare is no longer confined to conventional military action. He underlined that the information and cognitive domains are increasingly important because they can shape perceptions, affect decision-making and influence strategic results.
He also warned about the risks that come with the weaponisation of information and the use of advanced technologies to influence human behaviour, public opinion and cognitive processes.
One of the images from the session accompanied the report.
The discussion also considered what these developments mean for India’s national security. The report notes that digital platforms, fast-moving technologies and information networks now play a major role in the strategic environment.
Gupta said that building an information-resilient, technology-enabled and digitally empowered nation is necessary for long-term security and stability.
The lecture was framed as a learning opportunity for officers undergoing the Higher Command Course, which prepares senior military officers for greater command, operational planning and strategic leadership responsibilities.
Another image from the event was published with the report.
The Army War College, located at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, is described in the source as one of the Indian Army’s premier professional military education institutions, responsible for developing military leadership and strengthening officers’ operational and strategic understanding. The session, the report adds, reflected the Army’s continuing focus on emerging security challenges linked to technological change, information manipulation and cognitive warfare in modern conflicts.
