Cognitive Warfare by China and India’s Response examines the emergence of cognition as the decisive battlespace in 21st Century strategic competition. Cognitive warfare integrates psychology, information, and technology to influence perception, trust, and decision-making— achieving dominance without kinetic conflict. China has institutionalised this approach through its Three Warfare (psychological, public-opinion, and legal) strategy, drawing on classical philosophy, Maoist doctrine, and a modern techno-authoritarian ecosystem that fuses media control, artificial intelligence-driven propaganda, lawfare, and covert influence into a seamless, multi domain campaign. Its India-centric operations exploit cultural, economic, and digital vectors to erode national cohesion and narrative autonomy while encircling India cognitively through regional partnerships. The monograph analyses China’s cognitive warfare architecture—from party-level direction to People’s Liberation Army’s Strategic Support Force execution—and identifies its integration with cyber, electronic, and psychological operations. In response, it proposes an Indian Cognitive Warfare Doctrine built on democratic legitimacy and resilience, articulated through the Five ‘S’ Model— structure, story, shield, spear, and skills. Anchored in a whole-of-nation architecture—comprising a National Cognitive Security Council, Cognitive Fusion Centre, and Tri-Service Cognitive Operations Command—the monograph outlines how India can safeguard decision space, strengthen societal resilience, and project credible influence across the Indo-Pacific in a contest where the ultimate battlefield is the human mind.