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How India can end Chinese transgressions: Take conflict to a place Beijing is worried about

India can't deter China from using Himalayan skirmishes unless it goes on the offensive elsewhere. New Delhi's message must be: 'Do not poke us here and we won't poke you there'.

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How should India respond to another surge in Chinese transgressions at several places along our Himalayan frontiers? Over the past 15 years or so, strategic analysts have recommended two diametrically opposite approaches.

The first, advocated by sober defence traditionalists and by hawks, is that we should hold the line along the Himalayas and escalate the conflict if we have to. They point out that Indian troops enjoy favourable positions in many places, and our strength has been bolstered over the past 10 years with more mountain forces and better infrastructure and equipment. The objective of this approach, they contend, is to make the Chinese realise that they can’t ‘win’ this game.

The second approach, generally favoured by diplomats, economists and many politicians, is that we should defuse the situation through talks and negotiations, because we cannot afford tensions and adversarial relations with China ‘at this time’. Even before the ongoing coronavirus pandemic crisis, India’s development agenda required that we do not get distracted by military conflicts, not least with a more powerful neighbour, which is also an important economic partner.


Also read: Stand-off with China in Ladakh is India’s worst border tension since Kargil in 1999


Transgressions are an instrument of Chinese policy

The political resultant of these two approaches gives us the situation we have today. There is a pattern of ‘normal’ transgression of the disputed boundary by both India and China to ensure that the respective claims are protected. Over and above this, there is a pattern of creeping but consistent forward movement by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) — which not only fortifies new positions on its territory but also transgresses into areas that we presumed were de facto ‘settled’, at least at the local level.

When Indian troops resist this and the field-level mechanisms fail to resolve the matter, the situation flares up and becomes a political challenge for the Indian government. We first try to underplay the issue, then official spokespersons exchange strong words and finally top leaders talk to each other. A few formal or informal summits later, things quieten down for a year or so, until it happens all over again.

While this keeps the tension levels down for a while, it does nothing to discourage China from expanding its transgressions. Furthermore, it hands Beijing a cheap instrument to apply pressure on the Indian political leadership. Just look at the current discourse — no one knows why the Chinese are doing this now. Beijing won’t tell us, for that would defeat its purpose. Because we do not know what exactly caused the Chinese response, we ask ourselves whether it was due to 5G, FDI policy, the WHO investigation, the Article 370 move, the new road in Nepal, some new military positions on the border and so on.

So, a few skirmishes on some remote, barren Himalayan valleys and India starts considering whether it should get onto the back foot on so many issues concerning China. Little wonder the Chinese refuse to tell us where their claim lines are. Little wonder that they don’t tell us why they are upping the ante now.


Also read: India carries out ‘proactive localised deployment’ in Ladakh to tackle China


Shift the maritime balance in East Asia

We find ourselves in this unhappy situation because we have failed to literally think out of the box. Escalating the conflict on our borders is not in India’s interests beyond a point because having to fight a war will set us back. Relying on talks to kick the can down the road plays into Beijing’s hands.

A better approach — as I have argued for well over a decade — is to shift the conflict away from our Himalayan boundaries to the waters of the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. India should demonstrate that it is willing and capable of influencing the maritime balance in East Asia, where China faces off a combination of the United States, Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia and sometimes Malaysia and the Philippines as well.

Warning that a cold war is heating up in these waters, James Stavridis, former chief of the US navy, argues that the “key for the U.S. is to gradually bend Chinese behavior without breaking the international relationship in a way that leads into a Cold War or armed conflict. The best way to do that is to bring more international allies into the freedom of navigation patrols…”.

Many countries in the region will welcome a stronger Indian role. Given the maritime balance, a relatively small naval expeditionary force can have a disproportionate impact in a theatre that Beijing is acutely worried about. New Delhi’s message should be: “Do not poke us here and we will not poke you there.”


Also read: Chinese troops challenge India at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh, standoff continues


Utilise ties with Southeast Asian nations

India should have done this in 2010, but it’s still not too late. We must immediately increase naval operations east of the Malacca Straits and follow up with a rapid tri-service expeditionary capability in the Indian Ocean Region. This should grow into an expeditionary command. Instead of informal summits with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must meet the leaders of Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore and Timor-Leste. The defence relationships we have built with many Southeast Asian countries over the years can be quietly utilised.

I do not think we can deter China from using Himalayan skirmishes to throw us off balance unless we go on the offensive elsewhere. The South China Sea/Indian Ocean Region maritime domain presents us with the best options: they are far from our borders but not too far; we have the military capabilities to pursue the option; naval power is flexible; and the regional geopolitical context is favourable.

Of course, we can cite many reasons why this is too bold, too aggressive and too risky, and go back to our tried, tested and failed approach. And I can recycle this column again next year.

The author is the director of the Takshashila Institution, an independent centre for research and education in public policy. Views are personal.

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65 COMMENTS

  1. Simple and best solution to stop Chinese aggression is to seed or even dump nuclear waste generated in nuclear plants in selected places on the border so that China is stopped from entering into India where there is easy access to enter into India. We can also import nuclear waste from other countries who are facing problem in storing it and dump it on close border with China. Similar approach can be tried with western border with Pakistan where terrorist sneak into India. Radioactive waste can deter the enemies adopting misadventure route! Since radioactive waste takes several centuries to become normal, it could deter the enemy or risk their lives. This is short term and also long term solution to this problem!!

  2. India must get China out of its territory by hook or crook. Since India has a strong PM and stronger government and military, it will not be difficult to at least push them out of Indian territory which they have forcibly acquired. They will never retract from the area captured by them just by talk. They are very comfortable with the present situation that they have created.

  3. ASEAN members — individually — would certainly welcome India’s involvement in the South China Sea. Individual members never had any problem with India, at least not of the same magnitude as with China. So that strategy would benefit — and would be most welcome for — ASEAN for sure.

  4. The current situation in Ladakh is disturbing, and the Chinese policy of land grabbing by being overly aggressive in expanding influence is nothing new and a part of overall dirty Chinese games. At the same time, this move has been initiated by Beijing with multiple objectives.
    1. With COVID -19 outbreak, the Chinese are already in back foot as the world has started blaming the Chinese government and their institution of hiding the facts on the virus from the world community and not doing enough at the initial stage resulting immense loss to humanity and world economy.
    2. The Chinese are expecting a backlash from the world community in terms of closing /restricting of Chinese goods and services in their respective countries.
    3. In every like hood, there will be significant migration of the Chinese manufacturing sector to the emerging markets, including India.
    4. In this case ( both 2 & 3), there would be a severe negative effect on the Chinese economy.
    5. The political situation in Tibet, Hong Kong, is a significant headache for the leadership in Beijing. Besides they are not comfortable with a confidant Taiwan challenging Beijing’s ego and hegemonistic designs.
    6. The trade war with the USA is at its peak, and in case they lose, the collapse of the Chinese economy will commence.
    To divert attention from these core issues ( both to the world community and its own voiceless and helpless people , China has to show its superpower status somewhere. The latest adventure of the Chinese border guards in Ladakh and Sikkim had a clear objective in that direction and also to testing India’s resolve and preparedness to fight back the Dragon. It also may have a subtle aim of providing their all-weather friend cum proxy Pakistan in the Kashmir front.
    The Chinese leadership should understand that this kind of exhibitionism would not work out and bring about any drastic change in their current situation and status. Pragmatically they should resolve the problems with their neighbours instead of taking the illegal routes and means. If the current situation in the border goes out of control with firework, the loss of China would be much more significant than India in the current context.

  5. I completely agree.

    War must be avoided at all cost, but in the past promoting & adopting peace seen as Indian weakness by Chinese

    Pakistan wants Kashmir for their water security; while China wants the same for their OBOR aka new silk road for their Energy Security and new trade route access to Middle East and beyond. If a war breaks out, Pakistan would be gladly join, given what has happening there now, Sino-Pak alliance may gain what they want, at the least the size of POK would increase. As defending Kashmir could be too difficult due to current polifical scenario surrounding there, capturing Chinese terriotiries in North East is the way to gain stronger negotiating position for India (post-war)

    In the longrun China-Pak alliance has been trying to separate Kashmir from India (probably this is their current motive).In the long run India must also join hands with and focus on liberating Tibet, Xingiang and Hongkong from China. + why not recognize Taiwan for a start and join South China Alliance

    • I believe that China does not want an all-out war with India. It wants to teach a lesson to India lest it had forgotten 1962. I come to this conclusion for several reasons:

      1) Post COVID-19, the world is really miffed with China. It currently does not have many friends.
      2) The current pandemic has weakened the Chinese economy and it will not find ready export markets in the West.
      3) Variations of the COVID – 19 are a distinct possibility in China; the country is not infection-free.
      4) There are too many fires burning in the China backyard: Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the South China Sea.
      5) Today’s India is not the same of 1962. The country is more alert, stronger, and better prepared. Modi’s nationalist government is different from the namby-pamby Nehru government. While India will not be able to defeat China, it can cause grievous damage from which China will take several years to recover.
      6) Sino-India trade is $100B +. China could lose all of it.

      So, China wants to just teach a lesson to India again. India should stand firm and not rollover. It is Doklam all over.

  6. To say that India has a policy of appeasement towards China with regard to LAC skirmishes is not true. In Doklam standoff, despite that it was Bhutan and not the Indian territory, India refused to back down. And now all this clamouring is being done without knowing the actual state of recent dispute on LAC. Why must everyone presumed that it is Chinese who are aggressive. Indeed it is the Indians who are building communication infrastructure along LAC beyond the permissible limit. China is just reacting. Its amusing to read certain comments portraying India as a superpower – a country where a teenage girl drove her sick father on a bike for 1200 kilometers. Anyway keep your fingers crossed. Nothing is going to happen. Tension will simmer down in few weeks time.

  7. That would be immature and blunder when we have our own Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean to safeguard and fortify. To react impulsively and to be carried away by jingoism would be a foolish act when we are facing troubles with some or the other issues with our neighbors viz., Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Dialogues should be given a chance to stop further escalations keeping in mind our fragile economy due to COVID19 crisis.

  8. Can we chuck out a possibility of of taking Burma, Bangladesh, Laos,Cambodia,Thailand and all other nations in a singe network? What about having a rail network in an answer to the OBOR.

  9. Wow even your comments , can’t post anything highlighting your delusions and a divided population and the occupation I O K.

  10. You Guys are so delusional. China can easily overpower you. You are limited compared to them here’s why. India isn’t even a united population. You have troublesome regions. You have lots of territory controlled by nexalites, Maoist’s and others. You have disputed areas heavily militarised like Ladakh Sikkim and Manipur. (I think that’s the name. The situation in Assam. The illegal presence in Kashmir where a population of eight million is ready to rebel anytime who abseloutly abhor the Indian occupation of Kashmir. You can lie to the world by blocking foreign journalists but the fact is you know Kashmiris abseloutly vilify India and they have always asked for independence. It is not your internal matter. Then You have all the other disgruntled minorities inside India numbering tens of millions of people. The day India goes to full scale war. These cracks will shatter India from inside.

  11. How India can end chinese transgression? – Ask yourself (Indian govt) who is not spending enough money on defence. In this century the only way forward towards development is “Start developing your own technologies”.
    1: Create multiple defence universities in a country of 1.3 billion people
    2: Encourage Indian citizens to enroll in defence studies
    3: Research and manufacture home grown defence technologies .
    4: Learn from foreign partners about how do they do it.
    At present China is no match to America….. Only advantage chinese have today over us is they are “Technologically” advance then us. That happened because they steal American technologies whereas we dont but since its not a good idea to steal atleast develop and adapt in all sectors.
    Indian politicians talk and plan but never implement and execute the ideas. We must be wasting our time talking and planing too much all the time but we hardly spend time in executing and implementing the projects of any scale.
    Other then technology I dont see china any different then India of 2020 in terms of military prowess. eg: They have developed their own stealth fighters we dont have one, they have developed “Railguns” we dont have one, they have recently developed “Laser weapons and have deployed it as well, whereas we have just developed i think but havent deployed them as such, they are ahead in Artificial Intelligence we arent, They are in 5G we arent yet, They are in semi conductor industry we arent yet, they are with aircraft we arent yet.
    If one has in depth knowledge and understanding about what I have mentioned above he will fully understand where china is and where india is of 2020. I am not putting India down at all but I want Modi govt to give everyone a chance…. hire people….. pay them good money……. float govt and private companies in stock exchange and lets all do wonders.
    I am 34 year old and have graduated with double masters degree from usa. I would also like someone to read CHINA’S – “Thousand Talent Programme”. I hope MODI GOVT WOULD ENCOURAGE INDIAS RESEARCHER WHO WOULD HAVE GONE ABROAD AND COMING BACK TO SUPPORT RESEARCH BUT THEFT AND STEALING IS SOMETHING WE ALL DONT AND SHOULDNT SUPPORT. JUST GOOGLE IT WHAT IS “TTP”!

  12. Wise men diffuse conflicts. Not escalate them. Make peace with our neighbors. Make peace with the world. We have a long way to go to eradicate poverty, malnutrition, ignorance, corruption, communalism, casteism etc., improve our education and healthcare system and become an equitable, just and prosperous society. We should not fall for jingoism and get distracted. We should be mature enough to work to address the core issue between us and our neighbor, the decades old border yet to be demarcated. The governments of both the country should talk and settle the disputes, possibly by formalizing the status quo. Yes, we should be ready to come to terms with the reality and redraw our map according to the status quo. This is against populism. The real leaders have the courage to lead the public, to wiser thoughts and actions, instead of being pushed by unreasonable public sentiment, in the fear of losing power.

  13. The problem with our country is the foolishness or should we say foolhardiness of its population. The pr sent aggressive stance of China has nothing to do with border row.
    1. It does not want India to raise covid 19 against it in WHO.
    2. It does not India to comment on Hong Kong.
    3. It has observed that BJP MPs atteneded Taiwan president swearing in and it does not want any Indian opinion there.

    At this juncture or at any juncture in the foreseeable future can India afford a open confrontation with China.

    In present situation, even the support from USA is not guaranteed. The excellent rapport Modi has with Trump may help to some extent but remember the US elections are appriching and it is unlikely Trump will win.

    The only thing India can do is play the patience game.
    1. Convince USA, Australia, Japan to strengthen quad 4.
    2. Include Vietnam, and other willing ASEAN countries in quad plus.
    3. Improve diplomatic ties with Taiwan, maybe unofficially but still needs to be upped substantailly. One way is shifting some of the our business to Taiwan.
    4. Complete the infrastructure projects in border asap, even at the expense of neglecting some infrastructure projects natonally.
    5. Bude for time.

    India can’t and won’t win a conventional war with China anytime soon. We need to stop fooling ourselves.

  14. This is China’s coercion policy at work. On the Himalayan borders, Chinese don’t have any advantage over India or rather India is in a better position to give a befitting response . The local military leadership must take care that the skirmishes remains local and doesn’t flare up . Also this is more of who blinks first. Chinese have known Indian political leadership to give in when things do flare up. Chinese are equally vary of war as us Indians but they will not show it. Also in the current situation they are in the back foot with the entire world wanting to teach them a lesson. How they tried to intimidate Australia is known to all and the way Australia stood its ground is commendable. In case even if this flares up a little there will be huge International pressure on them and that is the last thing they want now. We should continue pursuing the demand for a fair Covid investigation and all possible diplomatic offensive against China. They are typical bullies and bullies will keep trying till they get a tight slap back. We have generated tremendous goodwill among the world community and its time we use it.

  15. But the question remains, whether India is capable of engaging China at S. China sea. To me, not even in Indian Ocean.

    • I agree, India is hopelessly outmatched and outclassed.

      India needs to grow up, abandon its occupation of Chinese and Pakistani territory and make peace with its neighbors for lasting peace.

  16. Simplest & the most effective approach should be expanding ties with Taiwan. Taiwan is china’s achilles heel. Even making a positive statement regarding Taiwan will make china seething in anger..

    • Taiwan isn’t China’s Achilles heel, the Chinese navy/army could take it over tomorrow if they wanted.

      Even the US has come to the conclusion that there is absolutely no way they can prevent it from happening.

      Indians live in a weird fantasy. Instead of growing up and making peace with your neighbors after abandoning your illegal occupations of Kashmir, Laddakh, Jammu, etc… you continue to attack your neighbors and persecute minorities living in India.

      Deplorable behavior from India.

  17. India must realize that muscle flexing with neighbors may push India and the region into stone age because of potential of a nuclear war. All Indian economic gains would turn to zero. India should not be proxy of others.

  18. Absolutely spot on.
    The Chinese, when they want something, do not request it, they demand it through various forms of coercion.
    Imagine, trying to force India into becoming a customer for 5G through threats and intimidation (packaged along with low cost and high tech).
    That is the Chinese way.
    That is certainly not the Indian way.
    So, the Chinese, in all affairs, domestic and international, governmental and economic, employ intimidation and coercion.
    They will also understand intimidation and coercion if and when utilized by India.
    As I said, the article is spot on.

    • India’s way is to murder minorities asking for their rights, finance terrorism across Asia particularly within bordering nations and lie, cheat, steal.

      Unfortunately that’s what India has been doing for so long now while hiding behind the US like it did in 1962 that it’s deluded itself into thinking that the status quo would be allowed to persist forever.

      Indians are getting a wake up call after the February 2020 war in which Pakistan trounced India we would have hoped India learned its lesson and learned that the path to peace starts with it abandoning its illegal occupations of Kashmir, Ladakh, etc… but it looks like India still lives in a fantasy world of its own creation.

  19. Yes, that is the approach India should take. Relationship should be bilateral. /Currently, Chinese have 50 Billion plus favorable trade with India and should be ready to forgo that in case of conflict.

  20. Offense is the best form of defence when diplomacy does not work. Simply do to the enemy what he is doing to you and increase the intensity progressively. Of course it could escalate but we must be well prepared for that.

  21. Mr. Pai talks sense. The GoI need listen to him instead of crouching away from the issues for a later date. The Chinese will not. So why should my country falter?
    He talks in same language as the guerrillas China is used to for decades since Chairman Mao. And this is the only formula the Chinese apply whenever faced with an external issue . Their foreign policy has internal and external overlaps that are inter twined with antagonistic and non antagonistic logical definitions , categorizations.
    We have to understand and know our enemy….said Mao and even Ho chi Min, whose Vietnam is several shades better than China, am told. So we need persons dealing with China not just intelligent as Doval & Coy but MISCHIEVOUSLY intelligent like the Chinese are to India. We are good folks, we are well intention ones too but our core is mischievously intelligent.
    To understand and know an enemy like China better, we have to understand Chinese political development. If a snake slithers into your bedroom, you must be adept at neutralizing it to save yourself. No one save the domiciled Chinese will agree with me today. And the Chinese are not just worse than snakes, they eat bats and rats as well. OMG!
    If Mr. Pai can understand me and facilitate issues, then I volunteer to be part of a team to do such work free of cost for the nation. I have some decent understanding of the Chinese, good credentials, available time and what is more, I consider them my national adversary. And we need be serious and not frivolous as we have been for last several decades on anything Chinese. The Chinese are not as careless as we are….Would the PRINT agree?
    In straight simple words, my wish can occur IF our Ruling Elite at power control levels change from being comprador bourgeoisie to NATIONAL BOURGEOISIE. Possible?
    So help my Great Country Oh! Lord….

  22. The author puts forward a very convincing argument. India must stand its ground even if it means a limited conflict at the LAC or opening up multiple fronts along the LAC.

  23. The suggestions made here in this write up seem logical. But we can effectively work out this strategy if the US backs us with its seventh fleet with all its might. We can rope in littoral states in South China Sea, barring North Korea. If that happens, China may have to rethink its strategy. Our Navy alone cannot do that. a k pattabiraman, chennai

  24. I wholly agree with this strategy. I am glad that someone thought of this approach. But rather than escalating in the Indian Ocean , the scope of escalation should be greater over the land border with China. Escalation over the oceans should be kept as a last resort. The best option would be India intruding in areas which are traditionally considered as Chinese territories and then wait for talks to come up. So, when the conflict resolution talks come up , the only thing that both parties will be willing to bargain are those territories that they have intruded upon. Suppose if India does not do that, then talks will not take us back to status quo. Instead, the Chinese will demand that we give up something that truly belongs to us, while the Chinese will only give us back what they have forcefully taken from us.

  25. I wholly agree with this strategy. I am glad that someone thought of this approach. But rather than escalating in the Indian Ocean , the scope of escalation should be greater over the land border with China. Escalation over the oceans should be kept as a last resort. The best option would be India intruding in areas which are traditionally considered as Chinese territories and then wait for talks to come up. So, when the conflict resolution talks come up , the only thing that both parties will be willing to bargain are those territories that they have intruded upon. Suppose if India does not do that, then talks will not take us back to status quo. Instead, the Chinese will demand that we give up something that truly belongs to us, while the Chinese will only give us back what they have forcefully taken from us.

  26. This suggestions more naive to implement. Even USA has now retreat from such misadventure. India falling in the trap in South China Sea is may invite Sino India conflicts.

  27. I wholly agree with this strategy. I am glad that someone thought of this approach. But rather than escalating in the Indian Ocean , the scope of escalation should be greater over the land border with China. Escalation over the oceans should be kept as a last resort. The best option would be India intruding in areas which are traditionally considered as Chinese territories and then wait for talks to come up. So, when the conflict resolution talks come up , the only thing that both parties will be willing to bargain are those territories that they have intruded upon. Suppose if India does not do that, then talks will not take us back to status quo. Instead, the Chinese will demand that we give up something that truly belongs to us, while the Chinese will only give us back what they have forcefully taken from us.

  28. I think this is s very silly article. India should not be a poodle of the West. We are being used and paying for the privilege by buying Western arms costing billions. It’s better we make up with China and that is possible without losing face or money.

  29. This article is a laugh.
    China has an economy five times the size of India.
    You have overestimated our place amongst the worlds nations, our wealth, the education and health of our population, our organisational ability of our people.
    So you propose to take ships to the South China Sea when 80% of indian woman are anemic and half of our children have stunted growth due to malnutrition.
    China can bankrupt India by deploying resources both at sea and on the mountains and getting India to match them.
    When China sees India unable to run 150 proper trains daily, it realises the level of incompetence, looking after its own people during a lockdown, it gets further emboldened and looks at india with contempt.
    We cannot organise a clean up of our cities, proper educatIon for our people, even a competent police force, how the hell will we fight a war, which requires the organisational ability of our entire population.
    Sorry war like everything else requires education and planning of millions of highly skilled individuals supporting a war effort.
    India’s uneducated and unhealthy population does not have the ability and cannot support a war with China.
    China is five times stronger now vis India than it was in 1962

      • Lol, India earns billions from China.

        China doesn’t need India as much as India needs China.

        A nation of beggars like India, possibly the largest foreign AID recipient on the continent, cannot dictate anything to China and you won’t be able to hide behind the US like you did in 1962.

  30. Excellent view but cannot be backed up by India’s self made weakness through seventy three years of suicidal policy. to which India is wedded Soft power can at best be a satin glove on a steel fist. India has no steel fist. At this time India is engagin in “Yudha Kale Shastrabhyasa” (Preparing for war when at war) and “Multi Appeasement”:
    (1) Appeasing with doles, increments and pampering of Moslems, Christians, SC, ST, BC, OBC, Judges, Bureaucrats, Police, Politicians, Public Sector and Crony (election bond) Capitalists at the cost of the rest of the Nation
    (2) Bribe diplomacy of giving doles and aid to countries in competition with a far wealthier and more powerful China at the cost of Non VIP Indian citizens and India
    As for the border transgressions, The Chinese took advantage of India’s Kargil debacle resulting from lack of intelligence, strategy, tactics, logistics, ammunition and so on to fill the vacuum created by the Indian Army withdrawing Indian troops to throw at Pakistan’s Northern Light Infantry and bunkered in.

    This is the story of India’s uninterrupted and uninterruptible “strategy” since Nehru!

    But, can India afford to escalate?

    China is trying to frighten India into toeing China’s line Internationally on COVID 19 and Hong Kong.
    So these can be taken as “nudges”.
    However, China has been vulnerable for some time now as it is over extended and has antagonized the World.
    In this situation, India has an opportunity to leverage China’s vulnerabilities for obtaining material advantage in terms of a favorable border demarcation or even militarily shoving China in on itself by taking an aggressive initiative.
    But India must be cautious as if it engages China militarily it will take the brunt while other powers may step in as the US did in WW2 or Mao in China after the contenders (in this case India and China) have ground each other down.
    The best way for India to proceed now is to seek an international coalition which choreographs a feather plucking of China with India pushing from the South by land, the US pushing over sea from the Pacific and Russia pushing over land from the North.
    In the mean time, thrash any Ching Chong China man who messes with the Army at the border as China is fully aware that it is vulnerable at this point of time and cannot push too much.
    Most importantly, India must NOT toe China’s line and MUST rather castigate China over COVID 19, Hong Kong, Tibet, in international forums and impose sanctions on imports from China as India has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
    If India resorts to its default “strategy” of Nehruvian-Gandhist Modiform appeasement, China will thrust itself further into India as Islam (Indian and Pakistani) did in 1947, and has been doing ever since, encouraged, rightly, by Indian (British made “Hindu”) appeasement as a sign of willing weakness.

    (3) Appeasing China by running up a trade deficit with China larger than India’s defense budget and taking advantage of India’s woeful lack of indigenous ability and capacities in governance, science, technology, integrity, quality and engineering to purchase arms from the remaining four Permanent Members of the UN Security Council with scant regard for India’s best interests in terms of economy, value for money, military strategy, tactics and readiness

    • Your suggestion is so stupid that it is far from ground reality. In this situation of India devastated by covid 19 can’t have a new war with powerful China. Even USA can’t take risk of helping India. Moreover, 20 crore India minorities support China and Pakistan.

      • You mean 20 crore Indians can’t wait to checkin to their Chinese Uighur reformation suites in India after China takes over India ? Shocking but it could happen after seeing Pakistan’s success as CCP puppet their Indian brothers can do the same and enjoy CCP hospitality 5 star halal resort for Indian minorities for their support.

    • The RIGHT analysis, though unpleasant it may sound. One needs to be aware of the limitations. Media does not win wars.

  31. Alongwith with deterrence on Himalayan border India should block Malacca strait wherefrom Chinese vessels emerge on the Indian Ocean.

    • With what?

      China’s navy is significantly larger than India’s and would decimate what remains of the Indian navy.

      Furthermore, a war with China will mean a war with Pakistan which India will lose not to mention Malaysia controls the Malacca strait which no Asian nation, let alone Malaysia, would agree to block making India the enemy of the world.

      For peace India needs to abandon its occupation of Pakistani and Chinese territory.

      It would also help if India wasn’t killing its minorities, a truly despicable display for the so called “worlds largest democracy” despite it not giving Kashmiri’s the right to vote on their independence.

      Pakistan could, and should, have destroyed 10 IAF fighter jets during the February war following the unprovoked hostile attacks by India on Pakistan but Pakistan was too lenient and let the majority of them go but despite the outcome it’s obvious India hasn’t learnt its lesson.

      • Hi Abdul, I ve been reading all ur comments. I am repeating my question. Why china is getting so disturbed with india. Fundamental reason?? Mere military strength or economic strength of China cannot be a cause for its arrogance. As they sow so shall they reap. Why you people are not questioning it???

  32. Instead of making friends hip with neighbours the the author is day dreaming that the far away countries who are not stooges of India will come to its help when they have no axe to grind in Indo china conflict they are shrewed enough not to poke nose in others matter.

  33. Make Himalayas as India Wall. …..(1).Raise One more Mountain Corps to liberate Tibet….(2).One Mountain Corps for Arunachal Pradesh…..(3)One Mountain Corps to liberate Akshai Chin….China will now know, Coronavirus Bilogical Warfare willnot work in Himalays so Chinese will be forced to abandon Virus Preparation in Wuhan lab.

  34. I entirely agree, if traffic bound to and fro China is threatened, it will ensure China falls in its right space

  35. Border transgressions are minor things for China. So should do India. Keep an eye to eye; increase communications facility to remain ever vigilant and the Chinese should know that. Let such incidents remain minor ones; media should also play their role. This done, India should exert continuous pressure on the Chinese in the Indian Ocean, South China sea.

  36. Frankly, I think successive Indian governments have been too timid in facing China when such transgressions occur. Worst is when such transgression occurred during 2010 to 2011 at Despang and DBO. Though India was the aggrieved party, India tried confidence building measures! There cannot be a worse example of cowardice of political leadership. Only in 1967, once India hit back at China under Indira Gandhi’s leadership. It is time to change this stance, which has encouraged China to think that India is a pushover and any time they can start the encroachment game and end it whenever they like. Give chase to some chinese vessels in the Indian ocean or near Malacca strait.

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