%3Cstrong%3EDealing%20with%20China%3C/strong%3E
China%20is%20the%20primary%20challenge%20and%20the%20more%20dangerous%20threat%20to%20national%20security.%20China%20not%20settling%20the%20boundary%20dispute%20holding%20it%20as%20Damocles%u2019%20Sword%2C%20leaves%20no%20doubt%20that%20undercurrents%20of%20conflict%20remain.%20China%20will%20thus%20keep%20the%20LAC%20simmering%20and%20continue%20arming%20Pakistan%20to%20keep%20the%20LOC%20volatile.%20This%20collusive%20support%20remains%20a%20reality%20and%20challenge%20for%20any%20future%20conflict%20for%20India%2C%20be%20it%20a%20one%20or%20two%20front%20conflict.%20The%20strategic%20aim%20is%20to%20drain%20India%u2019s%20resources%20and%20stymie%20India%u2019s%20ascent%20to%20a%20regional%20power%20with%20a%20global%20voice.
Managing%20the%20rise%20of%20China%20and%20deterring%20its%20periodic%20unilateral%20aggression%20in%20the%20region%20thus%20remains%20a%20strategic%20challenge%20for%20India.%20While%20dealing%20with%20China%20will%20remain%20one%20of%20India%u2019s%20biggest%20foreign%20policy%20challenges%2C%20today%20the%20equation%20in%20economic%20and%20military%20capabilities%20between%20the%20two%20Asian%20giants%20is%20asymmetrical.%20The%20challenge%20is%20greater%20in%20the%20non-contact%2C%20non-kinetic%2C%20informational%2C%20digital%20allied%20domains%2C%20while%20India%20has%20a%20distinct%20advantage%20in%20its%20warfighting%20experience%20and%20quality%20of%20soldiers.%20In%20addition%20to%20border%20infrastructure%2C%20military%20capability%20against%20China%20must%20entail%20a%20greater%20focus%20on%20ISR%2C%20Information%20Warfare%2C%20Cyber%2C%20AI%2C%20drones%20and%20anti-drone%20capability%2C%20and%20long-range%20precision%20strike%20capability.
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%26nbsp%3BIndia%u2019s%20current%20strategic%20deterrence%20against%20China%20is%20based%20on%20achieving%20credible%20deterrence%2C%20with%20the%20build-up%20of%20border%20infrastructure%20and%20military%20response%20capability%20opposite%20it.%20This%20essentially%20is%20a%20defensive%20strategy%20based%20on%20ground%20holding%20deployments%20for%20ensuring%20territorial%20integrity%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20limited%20offensive%20capability%20for%20a%20quid%20pro%20quo%20gain%20in%20selected%20areas.%20Ladakh%20has%20exhibited%20that%20the%20credibility%20of%20deterrence%20has%20not%20been%20able%20to%20hold%20ground.%20The%20need%20is%20for%20raising%20the%20deterrence%20ante%20to%20include%20greater%20offensive%20defence%20content%2C%20posturing%20and%20intent.%20The%20quid%20pro%20quo%20offensive%20capability%20both%20in%20the%20kinetic%20and%20non-kinetic%20domain%20needs%20to%20be%20given%20greater%20teeth.%20The%20strategic%20construct%20of%20this%20strategy%20%u2018to%20raise%20the%20cost%20of%20military%20intervention%u2019%20is%20more%20political%20than%20military.%20China%u2019s%20periodic%20forays%20in%20peacetime%20by%20way%20of%20transgression%20and%20intrusions%20will%20have%20to%20be%20denied%20any%20psychological%20gains%20with%20due%20preemptive%20and%20proactive%20military%20deterrence%20backed%20by%20an%20astute%20political%20commitment%20to%20preserve%20its%20core%20national%20interests.%20This%20would%20be%20an%20important%20aspect%20of%20strategic%20messaging.
At%20the%20doctrinal%20level%2C%20the%20focus%20must%20shift%20from%20the%20contact%20battle%20to%20operational%20and%20strategic%20domain%20both%20military%20and%20non-military%20in%20a%20whole%20nation%20approach.%20The%20focus%20must%20be%20at%20pre-emption%2C%20dislocation%20and%20disruption%20at%20the%20strategic%2C%20operational%20and%20tactical%20level.%20Pre-emption%20of%20any%20transgression%20and%20intrusion%20backed%20by%20in%20situ%20Rapid%20Action%20Forces%20for%20deterrence%20beyond%20just%20defence%20should%20be%20institutionalised.%20The%20offensive%20intent%20is%20more%20important%20than%20defensive%20content.%26nbsp%3B%20Dislocation%20by%20way%20of%20creating%20counter%20friction%20points%20in%20Sikkim%20and%20the%20Central%20Sector%2C%20diplomatically%20creating%20counter%20leverages%20like%20QUAD%2C%20politically%20downgrading%20diplomatic%20and%20economic%20relations%20and%20evolving%20collaborative%20security%20partnerships%20are%20only%20a%20few%20options.%20Disruptions%20can%20aim%20at%20covert%20targeting%20CPEC%2C%20playing%20up%20Tibet%20card%2C%20supporting%20Taiwan%20and%20Hong%20Kong%20etc.%20The%20key%20aspects%20of%20exploiting%20the%20Chinese%20fault%20lines%20be%20it%20physical%20or/and%20psychological%20must%20find%20due%20focus.%20India%20must%20also%20exploit%20Chinese%20multifront%20continental%2C%20maritime%20and%20internal%20commitments%20and%20vulnerabilities%20to%20its%20advantage%3B%20a%20head-on%20slog%20match%20is%20no%20more%20a%20solution.%20Chinaman%20respects%20strength%20and%20will%20only%20seek%20conflict%20resolution%20when%20its%20strategic%20coercion%20results%20in%20strategic%20embarrassment%2C%20by%20denying%20achievement%20of%20its%20strategic%20objectives.
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Pakistan%u2019s%20continued%20obsession%20for%20Kashmir%20and%20revisionist%20ideology%20will%20continue%20to%20fuel%20the%20Proxy%20War%20in%20Kashmir%20as%20part%20of%20its%20DNA%2C%20with%20spill%20over%20possibilities%20to%20the%20heartland.%20Thus%2C%20rather%20than%20change%20what%20is%20unchangeable%2C%20making%20it%20untenable%20is%20a%20better%20option.%20India%u2019s%20politico-military%20aim%20must%20accordingly%20be%20synergized%20to%20deter%20Pakistan%20from%20waging%20the%20proxy%20war%2C%20while%20simultaneously%20addressing%20the%20internal%20fault%20lines%20in%20Kashmir.
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%26nbsp%3BThe%20western%20front%20strategy%20and%20force%20structure%20merit%20a%20review%20in%20tune%20with%20realities%20of%20the%20present-day%20threat.%20The%20need%20today%20is%20to%20restructure%20and%20refit%20a%20%u201Cbig%20war%20military%20with%20smart%2C%20lean%2C%20agile%2C%20technologically%20lethal%20combined%20arms%20joint%20warfare%20capabilities%u201D%20to%20dominate%20the%20key%20operational%20factors%20of%20%u201CTime-Space-Force-Information%u201D.%20However%2C%20the%20determinant%20of%20the%20success%20of%20force%20application%20irrespective%20of%20the%20front%20will%20be%20information%20superiority%20and%20decision%20dominance.%20In%20short%2C%20we%20need%20a%20knowledge-based%3B%20decision-oriented%2C%20lethal%20networked%20joint%20force%20strike%20capability%20in%20both%20kinetic%20and%20non-kinetic%20domains.%20This%20is%20a%20major%20grey%20area%20along%20with%20Information%20warfare%20that%20requires%20much%20more%20understanding%20and%20focus%20in%20the%20Defence%20Forces.%20C5ISR%20will%20only%20be%20empowered%20if%20we%20shift%20from%20a%20platform-centric%20approach%20culture%20to%20a%20network-centric%20approach.
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While%20the%20integrity%20of%20continental%20boundaries%20will%20remain%20primary%2C%20the%20importance%20of%20the%20maritime%20and%20aerospace%20domain%20merits%20due%20focus.%20India%20must%20thus%20calibrate%20its%20military%20capability%20as%20a%20sum%20total%20of%20synergetic%20application%20of%20warfighting%20elements%20in%20all%20seven%20mediums%20-%20land%2C%20air%2C%20sea%2C%20space%2C%20underwater%2C%20cyber%20and%20cognitive%20domain.%20The%20maritime%20domain%20is%20an%20area%20where%20the%20increasing%20scope%20of%20cooperation%20between%20nations%20like%20QUAD%20will%20offset%20financial%20stress%20to%20the%20defence%20budget%20yet%20play%20an%20important%20role%20in%20the%20strategic%20security%20calculus%20and%20defence%20diplomacy.%20India%u2019s%20deterrence%20in%20the%20Himalayas%20will%20thus%20have%20to%20be%20empowered%20by%20its%20ascent%20as%20an%20aerospace%20and%20maritime%20power.%20Besides%20the%20Special%20Operations%20division%2C%20Defence%20Cyber%20Agency%20and%20Defence%20Space%20Agency%20need%20greater%20empowerment%20and%20teeth.
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The%20need%20is%20to%20optimise%20tri-service%20capabilities%20beyond%20a%20single%20service%20parochial%20approach%20based%20on%20an%20integrated%20military%20strategy%20to%20achieve%20desired%20political%20objectives.%20The%20present%20desirability%20and%20feasibility%20mismatch%20between%20the%20political%20objectives%20and%20the%20military%20means%20must%20be%20resolved%20by%20interactive%20moderation%20and%20jointly%20constructed%20politico-military%20strategy.%20It%20would%20require%20clarity%20of%20balancing%20the%20desired%20ends%2C%20ingenuity%20in%20ways%20and%20employing%20existing%20means.%20The%20deficit%20capabilities%20must%20be%20identified%20and%20acquired%20in%20a%20bounded%20time%20frame%20based%20on%20value%20and%20vulnerability%20analysis.%20The%20picture%20will%20be%20complete%20if%20not%20only%20inter-service%20synergy%20is%20optimised%20but%20inter-ministerial%20commitment%20is%20harnessed.%26nbsp%3B%20The%20nation%20must%20never%20be%20found%20wanting%20as%20before%20in%20its%20defence%20preparedness%20or%20be%20oblivion%20to%20its%20future%20threats%20which%20are%20already%20at%20its%20doorstep.
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