Indian Defence Review

Time has now come to apprise the nation about the border disputes both with China and Pakistan and seek national referendum on these burning issues.

It was amazing to hear three consecutive Army Chiefs stating in the open that China is no threat to India. Obviously they were speaking the political language and escaping from their responsibilities of apprising the Government of the ground realities. It was amazing to know that the primary operational tasks of some of our formations deployed in sensitive borders with China were in totally different borders. The intelligence network and inputs continue to be primitive and not updated. Let us not have Kargil type situations on the Sino-Indian border! While our policy of engaging China must carry on and collaboration on all fronts must increase, we have to maintain our guard most befittingly. Any misadventure from China must meet a very prompt and punitive military response. The Chiefs of Staff Committee must not remain satisfied by merely pushing DO letters to the Government; they must assert in the national interest. This is their bounden duty and they must unitedly ensure impregnable defence of our borders with matching strike capabilities. It is unfortunate that the three Chiefs have not been included as permanent Members of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS).They are called only if their need is felt! The Government may like to appoint them as permanent Members. With their vast experience and knowledge they will prove assets to any deliberation of CCS.

Sino-Indian relations have no doubt improved in the recent years but this should not lead to any complacency. While discussions to continue to explore the framework of boundary settlement, from the political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship must continue, India should take due measures to ensure her territorial integrity in letter and spirit. India has to get out of the existing ‘China Mindset’ and raise vast network of communications and infrastructure to meet any contingency in Northern, Central and Eastern Sectors. With a powerful Navy  and Air Force, India must be prepared at all times to respond to any situation .China has of late constructed new high altitude airfields in Tibet. Her infrastructure and strategic capability in Tibet and further East is far improved. All major passes up to the Indian borders can be reached by good roads. Her rail and oil pipe lines network is equally impressive .India must respond by matching infrastructure.

Vast stretches of Indian territory in the Northern Sector (15,000 square miles) is under Chinese occupation. China also lays claim to 32,000 sq miles of Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Whether it will be tactically viable for Indian Armed Forces to evict the illegal occupations both by China and Pakistan is a matter for the military experts to judge but India must see the writing on wall. China also lays claim to Barahoti in Uttarakhand. Must India continue living like this with no perspective planning to address the explosive nature of the issue? One cannot be optimistic in the long run since the damage potential of the imbroglio is capable of not only creating sparks but may eventually explode. Time has now come to apprise the nation about the border disputes both with China and Pakistan and seek national referendum on these burning issues.  Are there any takers? One thing is for sure, it pays to be strong and India must define and assert her strength and stance before she is   caught off guard and embarrassed.  Already many precious years have been lost Both, trade and diplomacy need to be executed from a position of strength.