Honey Trap Espionage in the Age of Digital Warfare: Strategic Lessons from India’s DRDO Scandal and Implications for Pakistan’s National Security

Modern hybrid warfare has made the honey trap espionage tactic a serious non-kinetic threat where seduction and psychological exploitation techniques are used to obtain otherwise secure information. The scandal of 2024 in India, where the senior scientist Pradeep Kurulkar was blackmailed by an online relationship with a foreign agent, manifests the weaknesses of technologically advanced defense structures that lack psychological readiness. This paper will explore the mechanics of the honey traps, paying particular attention to the example of an Indian case, and look at how digital platforms have changed in the exploitation of these spying methods. It also examines how this compromises the national security of Pakistan, that is, the defense and strategic institutions. The paper offers specific recommendations, such as digital surveillance, psychological training, and anti-espionage measures, with reference to the findings, which are, in turn, directed towards making Pakistan capable of preventing any attempts of penetration in its sensitive sectors. The study would help to improve the aspects of national security and adopt a more active combat stance against emerging threats in the era of digital warfare.