Publication

Winning hearts and minds (WHAM) is accepted as one of the principal components of counter-insurgency strategy. The Indian government and the army have for long adopted it as a cornerstone for weaning away the population from the influence of insurgents. This brief compares the recent “heart as a weapon” initiative in Jammu and Kashmir with similar strategies in the past and analyses the reasons for its greater acceptance. It also raises the possibility of its inclusion as a WHAM component of counter-insurgency strategy in the sub-conventional doctrine presently under formulation.