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This study examines the dynamics of gray zone warfare by analyzing its conceptualization in the literature and through its practice in several recent examples. Ever-increasing changes in the characteristics of contemporary warfare have complicated the security environment of the 21st century. Modern warfare inclines toward non-kinetic dimensions based on the principles of hybridity, soft power, and ambiguity. This changing nature of warfare has been defined and categorized in diverse ways, leading to numerous perspectives revealing more confusion than clarity. The terms “hybrid warfare,” “gray zone warfare,” “unrestricted warfare,” and “ambiguous warfare” have received unprecedented attention in recent years. A key contemporary challenge is to differentiate between war and peace because gray zone warfare occupies the space in between both these situations. Many contemporary conflicts are neither black nor white; instead, they fall in the middle of the two: the gray zone. These factors underscore the significance of evaluating and understanding the concept of gray zone warfare. The United States considers Russia, China, and Iran as revisionist states that employ gray zone warfare in various domains to challenge the United States-led world order. South Asia is also a manifested playground of gray zone warfare. The research further distinguishes between gray zone warfare and hybrid warfare and proposes strategies for countering this threat.

It is claimed that international relations are based on intercultural ties between nations of the states. Culture and international relations are becoming increasingly interdependent of each other. As international relations are the links between the nations, and the nations are bound by different cultures. This paper discusses the importance of culture in international affairs. It evaluates the previous literature and other secondary sources to analyse the prominent role of culture and cultural diplomacy in foreign policy and international affairs. It sheds light on the history that how culture influences other nations and how it is used in the current time. The paper further discusses that culture plays a vital role in resolution of conflicts and harvest peace and cooperation among nations at times of peace and conflict. This also stresses that global actors (leaders and institutions) should value the elements of local cultures in policy-making, even organizations doing business on foreign lands. Such considerations are essential not only in policy making but also in doing businesses.