- People growing up from the early years to subsequent graduation along the way are always educated on our history that projects Pakistan as our most dangerous adversary following the independence attained from the British occupation. Historical animosity prevailing since then interspersed with India-Pakistan wars in-between to frequent terrorist attacks articulated, originated, and executed under the aegis of the enemy agencies are well documented. It is so very deeply inculcated in our psyche that Pakistan continued to be accorded with preeminence in our military preparedness bordering western frontiers solely keeping the rogue nation’s insight.
PC: Sushant Singh
- Of course, China too garnered no less attention but suffice to say not to the extent as compared to Pakistan, though the dragon nation kept ruffling feathers in their inimitable ways knowing full well that we are not in a position to precipitate other than mouthing mere expressions of restrained statements. Yes, the bitter truth of the 1962 war with China still rankles the Indian establishment for the betrayal as well as our ignominious loss of face. In the aftermath of the Galwan misadventure at the eastern Ladakh on the line of actual control, things are no longer Pakistan-centric anymore as the Chinese unilateral expansionist moves have altered the equations on the ground.
- Our lopsided preoccupation with Pakistan has exposed glaring neglect towards countering Chinese propaganda and influence especially on matters concerning Tibetan history, culture, and language. It is universally known that the Chinese establishment gets riled and worked up whenever the vexed issue of Tibet and people associated with the Tibetan movement garners attention. No wonder, anything related to Tibet is treated as an extremely sensitive issue by Beijing is highlighting the obvious. The Indian Army has now woken up to fine-tuning a proposal for its officers to study anything and everything related to Tibet.
PC: wanderlust
- Our officers are well-versed with Pakistan having treated that country as the primary national security threat for decades. With the altered equations, the threat perception requires to be divided at both western as well as eastern frontiers. Time has come now to seriously develop China-centric expertise for our fighting forces to counter asymmetric warfare being waged against us by Beijing. Hence, the measure, though late, but inevitable in the overall scheme of things. Also, people in the know would recollect efforts to raise India’s Mountain Strike Corps (MSC), envisaged in 2000, critical to operating along the Himalayan borders never took off. An example of our skewed policies.
- If consented in 2016, which was unfortunately put on the backburner owing to budgetary constraints, a full-fledged MSC with 90,000 troops would have allowed us to pose a stronger response and deterrent to evil enemy designs. In hindsight, investing in the MSC would have also provided us a lethal fighting force to thwart the enemy designs as well as stop the misadventure from escalating further. What is driving China’s expansionist designs without worrying too much about the repercussions? It’s economic heft, stupid, nothing else. Spectacular economic growth has propelled China to even challenge the USA’s hegemony. The world knows about this fact.
PC: Bang Xiao
- This is where the challenge lies for us. The Indian thinktank must devise comprehensive reformist measures to sustain substantial economic growth in the next five to ten years to fortify our economic as well as military modernization apparatus on a war footing. In the interim, New Delhi should forge a friendly relationship with the USA as well as like-minded forces to keep Beijing at bay.
