National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday said the new frontiers of war is the civil society, which can be manipulated to hurt a nation’s interests, reported The Hindu. He was addressing the passing out parade of Regular Recruit Indian Police Service officer trainees in Hyderabad.

“The new frontiers of war, what you call the fourth-generation warfare, is the civil society,” said Doval.

He added that wars have stopped being “effective instruments” to achieve political or military objectives. “They [wars] are too expensive and unaffordable, and at the same time, there is uncertainty about the outcome,” said Doval.

Doval told the officers that it was their responsibility to ensure that the country was safe and secure. People would not feel safe and secure if law enforcers were weak, corrupt or partisan, he said.

He said that the officers were meant to ensure people are fully protected. “The service of the people is the greatest service not only from the point of view of our nation-building but also from the point of view of national security,” Doval added.

He said that maintaining law and order in every part of India is the responsibility of police forces, reported PTI.

“Not only the policing about which you have been trained well, but it will [duties] extend,” he said. “You will be responsible for border management of this country. 15,000 km of the border, most of it has got peculiar problems of its own.”

Doval advised the officers to not only think about reforms but to also avoid making mistakes the older generations did.

“You have to be transformational,” he said. “Now the police forces will have to bring about transformation, think about the future and find the solutions today.”

He also emphasised on technology being an important element in building the country and told the officers that they will need to tackle the challenges posed by it.

“You are leaving this academy not only as police leaders but also as the soldiers of the new coming vibrant India, without you this nation cannot succeed,” Doval said.