Quite disappointing
China remains belligerent, its pursuits are predatory: Army chief
Army chief General Manoj Pande said Friday that the world took notice of India’s political and military resolve after it stood up to China in a resolute and firm manner when the military standoff between the two countries began in April–May 2020 at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Speaking at the 118th annual session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, General Pande said “Chinese belligerence is evident in its continuing propensity to project power outside its region”, presenting “a threat to rules-based international order” but many nations today appear ready to take the China issue head-on as realisation of its “predatory economic pursuits” sink in.
The Army chief’s comments come at a time when there has not been any perceptible change in deployment of troops by either side or any de-escalation in the eastern Ladakh region.
In March this year, at an event in Pune, General Pande had said that Chinese transgressions across the LAC remained a potential trigger for escalation and that violations of existing border agreements and protocols were a concern for India.
At the PHDCCI event, the Army chief said that with its economic heft, China has been looking at geo-political and trade engagements as zero-sum games.
“Concurrently, Chinese belligerence is evident in its continuing propensity to project power outside its region, in turn presenting a threat to rules-based international order,” he said.
“Grey Zone pursuits by our adversaries continue, even as we speak. Also, we are dealing with internal security situations, which have their unique set of challenges,” he said.
“But the most important pointer for us is that our legacy challenges of unsettled borders continue and stand amplified due to collusion between our western and northern adversary,” he said, referring to Pakistan and China. He said infirmities in border management can lead to wider conflict.
The character of war, he said, has undergone a profound change. Disruptive technologies have blunted conventional force ratio superiorities.
He said kinetic weapons, such as guns and tanks, too have witnessed immense progression towards increased precision and destructive potential.
“Space, cyber, electromagnetic as well as cognitive domains of information warfare have assumed greater significance, and critically impact outcomes in today’s battlefield,” he said, adding that these developments are making the battle space more complex, contested and lethal.
He said India’s foreign policy and diplomacy are playing an important role towards pursuing, securing India’s interests.
“Our stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict is a fine example, where we stood steadfast and clear towards addressing legitimate pursuits of our national interests.”
He said the dividends are evident in “our pursuits as part of bilateral and multilateral groupings and alliances”.
“Consequently, today India has a voice on the world stage that is distinct, rooted in Indian ethos and effective in articulating the concerns of the Global South,” he said, adding that the successful conduct of the G20 meet heralded India’s diplomatic ability to achieve consensus on values-based approach to growth and development for all, despite intractable global agendas.
On the growing strategic relevance of the Indo-Pacific theatre, the Army chief said India’s commitment towards engaging all stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific has been enduring and finds reflection in policy initiatives and participation in various regional strategic frameworks.
“Lessons from recent conflicts have shown us that the security of the nation can neither be outsourced, nor be dependent on the largesse of others,” he said.
“As a nation, we need to ensure that our national interests remain secure as we pursue our national vision. Indian Army remains fully aligned and integrated with the national vision and objectives,” he said.
Towards this, he said, the Army has undertaken several initiatives for its holistic transformation which include force restructuring and optimisation, modernisation and technology infusion, systems, processes and functions, human resource management and jointness and integration.
Amrita Nayak Dutta – 2023-09-30 04:06