WEAPONISING PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY IN INTERNATIONAL LAW: EXAMINING INDIA'S USE OF GREY ZONE TACTICS AND CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS

Abstract

Grey zone warfare – covert operations conducted by states during peacetime to achieve political and military objectives without raising the risk of direct conventional confrontation – has become a defining feature of contemporary conflicts in South Asia. In this context, India has long been accused of providing both material and financial support to armed militant groups operating against Pakistan's interests. This study maps the progression of such instances in the 21st century across four periods: the 2000s, 2010s, post-2020, and 2025. Employing qualitative methodology, the paper explores potential drivers for these actions through Ajit Doval's Doctrine of 'defensive offense,' followed by an analysis of international legal frameworks that facilitate attributional obscurity in proxy warfare. The study contends that international law, originally designed for inter-state warfare, has inherent structural deficiencies that make it ineffective in combating the use of covert aggression, leading to severe implications for state security, regional stability and international accountability.