Defining victory: The power of narratives

There is significant potential for India to improve the management of narratives during conflicts.

- DHRUV C. KATOCH

The ongoing RussiaUkraine conflict, the recent India-Pakistan flare-up, and the Israel-Iran war have created different narratives about their outcomes. When all sides claim victory, perceptions significantly influence the outcome. Much of the focus is on the losses inflicted on the enemy and the damage caused by enemy actions, to judge the war's results. Such analysis often overlooks the primary objectives of the war, which may vary among different participants.

The Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022 and remains ongoing, has had different objectives for the two sides. For Russia, it was to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. An additional aim was to secure a land corridor to Crimea by annexing the Donbas region.

For Ukraine, it was about resisting Russian aggression. The conflict appears to be deadlocked, with both sides suffering significant losses in personnel and matériel. Russia has, however, gained control of most of the Donbas region, capturing the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, thus establishing a land link to Crimea. Since Ukraine is unlikely to be admitted to NATO, Russia can claim victory if the war ends today and the current situation remains. Ukraine, on the other hand, can also claim victory, having resisted aggression and, despite losing territory, maintaining a sense of nationhood and unity. The power of narratives will probably influence individual perceptions of who the victor is.

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza is highly complex.

After the heinous attack on 7 October 2023, in which Hamas terrorists killed over a thousand civilians and took many hostages, including women and children, Israel destroyed most of Gaza. Israel's war aims were to deter further assaults and disarm Hamas.