Paper short abstract:

The hybrid nature of today's conflicts is one of the defining features of the twenty-first century's security environment. Hybrid warfare, therefore, has gained immense implications for any country’s national security as defined by environmental, human, economic and law and order dimensions.

Paper long abstract:

Hybrid warfare is an emerging but ill-defined notion in conflict studies. Its significance is rapidly increasing as it plays a significant role in any country’s national security. The term "Hybrid Warfare" is used to describe a military tactic that combines elements of traditional conflict, "irregular warfare," and cyberattacks with other means of influence, including propaganda, diplomacy, and direct political intervention (Weissmann, Nilsson, & Thunholm, 2021). Similarly, the concept of national security in today's world goes beyond the traditional security and includes political, economic, environmental, and human considerations. This study empirically investigates the impact of hybrid warfare on national security. It defines hybrid warfare index by combining the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Development Index (IDI), the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), the Network Readiness Index (NRI), and the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI). Whereas, our dependent variable of national security index includes four dimensions of national security i.e. law and order, economic, human and environmental. For quantitative analysis, this paper, therefore, seeks to investigate the impact of hybrid warfare on national security while controlling for country’s GDP per Capita, Geography, World Bank Governance Indicator (WBGI), Globalization Index. This panel data study employs Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression, Fixed/Random effects model and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) for approximately 120 countries from year 2015-2023. Further, the analysis will be desegregated by income classifications of countries and regions. Last but not the least, based on the findings, the implications will be drawn for the developing countries by taking Pakistan as a case study.