Mhow, Madhya Pradesh: In an era where information flows faster than bullets and narratives can decisively influence outcomes, three leading voices from journalism and the military shared critical insights on strategic communication with officers of the Indian Armed Forces at the prestigious Army War College (AWC), Mhow.
Mr Shekhar Gupta, Mr Nitin Gokhale, and Colonel Rajesh Kalia (Retired) addressed participants of the ongoing Joint Capsule (JOCAP), underscoring the growing importance of shaping perceptions amid the complexities of hybrid and multi-domain warfare.
The session, conducted as part of the JOCAP curriculum designed to promote jointness and operational synergy among Army, Navy, and Air Force officers, focused on two pivotal themes: the role of narratives in contemporary conflicts and the evolving dynamics of military-media engagement.
“Highlighting narratives in modern conflict & military-media engagement,” the official AWC account noted, the speakers emphasised “the criticality of shaping perceptions in today’s info environment.”
With adversaries increasingly leveraging information operations, social media, and psychological tools alongside conventional capabilities, the ability to craft, disseminate, and defend credible narratives has become integral to mission success. The experts explored how armed forces can proactively engage the media to ensure timely, accurate information reaches both domestic and international audiences while effectively countering disinformation and hostile propaganda.
The Army War College, a premier institution under the Indian Army’s Training Command responsible for grooming senior leadership, regularly integrates such contemporary subjects into its professional military education programmes. JOCAP, in particular, serves as a platform for mid-to-senior level tri-service officers to deliberate on joint operational doctrines, emerging threats, and whole-of-government approaches to national security.
The participation of Shekhar Gupta, a veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The Print and Nitin Gokhale, one of India’s foremost defence analysts and strategic affairs commentators, brought sharp media perspectives to the table. Colonel Rajesh Kalia (Retd), with his rich operational and doctrinal experience from the Indian Army, complemented the discourse with an insider’s view of military communication challenges.
The session aligns with the Indian Army’s broader thrust towards information warfare readiness, cognitive domain operations, and enhanced civil-military synergy, priorities repeatedly highlighted by senior leadership in recent years.
As conflicts worldwide demonstrate the decisive impact of the information domain from Ukraine to the Middle East, such interactions at institutions like AWC, Mhow ensure that future military leaders are not only combat-ready but also narrative-ready.
The Army War College shared photographs from the event, capturing the interactive nature of the discussions and the keen engagement of the participating officers.
This timely engagement reinforces the Indian Armed Forces’ commitment to staying ahead in the evolving character of war, where perception management is no longer an adjunct but a core operational competency.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
