New Delhi: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General MM Naravane said on March 4 that India was focusing on dynamic response along its western and northern borders below threshold of all-out war besides strengthening its conventional prowess.

Speaking at a seminar on land warfare in New Delhi, the Army Chief said the airstrikes on Balakot demonstrated that if one is skillful, escalation does not always lead to war.

India’s northern border is aligned with China and the western border with Pakistan.

General Naravane said Chinese dominance in the South China Sea showed small incremental steps achieved the aim without firing a single shot or inviting retaliatory action.

He said the rise of non-state actors such as terrorists demands that victory in war is formulated in a nuanced manner.

ISIS was far more adept in using social media for devastating effects as compared to the 21st century armies of the US and the UK, Naravane added.