%3Cstrong%3EDiplomacy%20and%20Military%20Leverage%3C/strong%3E
Conflicts%20are%20initiated%20to%20meet%20political%20objectives%2C%20leveraged%20by%20military%20force%20and%20resolved%20through%20astute%20diplomacy.%20Accordingly%2C%20the%20three%20pillars%20of%20national%20defence%20must%20act%20in%20harmony%20to%20preserve%20vital%20national%20interests%20of%20the%20state%20with%20a%20long%20term%20perspective.%20The%20challenge%20of%20response%20against%20any%20aggression%20thus%20dwells%20not%20only%20on%20the%20demonstrated%20military%20capability%20and%20a%20strong%20credible%20political%20will%20but%20equally%20on%20committed%20and%20resilient%20diplomacy%20to%20leverage%20the%20military%20advantage.%20This%20is%20the%20challenge%20India%20faces%20as%20diplomatic%20parlance%20seek%20a%20solution%20to%20the%20Chinese%20aggression%20in%20the%20Himalayas.%20The%20leverage%20provided%20by%20events%20of%20night%2029/%2030%20August%20by%20the%20Army%20must%20not%20be%20lost%20nor%20should%20the%20sacrifices%20of%20the%20gallant%20soldiers%20at%20Galwan%20and%20the%20brave%20heart%20SFF%20Commando%20go%20in%20wane.
%3Cstrong%3EThe%20Ongoing%20Diplomatic%20Parlance%20%26nbsp%3B%3C/strong%3E
The%20talks%20between%20Indian%20and%20Chinese%20Defence%20Ministers%20held%20on%2004%20Sep%20and%20thereafter%20between%20the%20two%20Foreign%20Ministers%20to%20be%20held%20on%2010%20Sep%20thus%20aim%20to%20seek%20a%20solution%20to%20the%20Ladakh%20impasse%20and%20avert%20further%20escalation.%20There%20will%20be%20no%20quick%20win-win%20solutions%2C%20and%20so%20patience%2C%20pragmatism%20and%20persistence%20for%20seeking%20a%20solution%20to%20ensure%20lasting%20peace%20must%20prevail%20the%20outcome.%20Jingoistic%20musings%20and%20hyper-nationalism%20must%20not%20be%20the%20pressure%20points%20nor%20should%20party%20politics%20weigh%20against%20a%20%u201CNation%20Above%20All%u201D%20approach.%20%26nbsp%3BThe%20cause%20needs%20to%20be%20addressed%20with%20a%20long%20term%20perspective%20of%20delineation%20and%20demarcation%20of%20LAC%20and%20lasting%20peace%2C%20which%20lies%20beyond%20the%20symptoms%20of%20present%20clashes.%20The%20challenge%2C%20of%20course%2C%20has%20more%20to%20do%20with%20the%20loss%20of%20face%20and%20the%20prestige%20of%20nations%20led%20by%20two%20strong%20personalities%20under%20a%20nationalistic%20fervour.%20Thus%20a%20whole%20of%20nation%20approach%20is%20mandated.%20%26nbsp%3B
India%20has%20had%20an%20abysmal%20record%20of%20conflict%20resolution%20nullifying%20leverage%20provided%20by%20the%20military.%20Be%20it%20the%20return%20of%20Haji%20Pir%20captured%20in%201965%20to%20Pakistan%20or%20unprecedented%20release%20of%2093%2C000%20Prisoners%20of%20War%20of%201971%20without%20commensurate%20leverage%20or%20self-imposed%20restraint%20to%20cross%20over%20LOC%20at%20Kargil%20in%201999.%20Hopefully%2C%20we%20have%20learnt%20our%20lessons%20of%20the%20past.%20Yet%20unfortunately%2C%20the%20recent%20Defence%20Minister%20Indian%20delegation%20without%20senior%20military%20representatives%20and%20the%20Chinese%20counterpart%20strongly%20represented%20by%20PLA%2C%20%26nbsp%3Bdid%20not%20make%20good%20optics%20both%20as%20far%20as%20strategic%20messaging%20is%20concerned%20and%20politico%20-%20mil%20harmony%20in%20leveraging%20the%20military%20advantage.%20%26nbsp%3B
%3Cstrong%3EMilitary%20Dimension%20of%20Diplomatic%20Crisis%20Resolution%20Framework%3C/strong%3E
The%20key%20issue%20lies%20in%20the%20comprehension%20and%20dynamics%20of%20the%20ambiguity%20created%20by%20the%20so-called%20differing%20perception%20of%20LAC.%20Historic%20evidence%20of%20the%20failed%20efforts%20to%20delineate%20and%20demarcate%20it%20indicates%20the%20Chinese%20intent%20to%20use%20it%20as%20military%20leverage%20and%20a%20tool%20of%20coercive%20diplomacy.%20Thus%20status%20quo%20ante%20cannot%20be%20Apr%202020%20but%20as%20that%20existing%20at%20the%20time%20of%20Indian%20independence.%20However%2C%20the%20reality%20of%20geopolitics%20mandate%20that%20the%20LAC%20must%20be%20demarcated%20and%20delineated%20for%20lasting%20peace%20in%20a%20pragmatic%20manner.%20The%20present%20trust%20deficit%20has%20only%20enlarged%20with%20the%20Chinaman%20repeatedly%20backstabbing%20and%20professing%20revisionism%20and%20expansionism%20as%20a%20strategic%20culture.%20Thus%20the%20solutions%20must%20be%20holistic%20and%20withstand%20the%20test%20of%20time.
The%20contours%20of%20diplomatic%20solutions%20to%20present%20crisis%20resolution%20must%20be%20attuned%20to%20the%20on-ground%20realities.%20Status%20Quo%20ante%20to%20Apr%202020%20positions%20must%20be%20only%20an%20interim%20de-escalation%20step%20which%20must%20be%20caveated%20by%20an%20institutional%20and%20timebound%20framework%20of%20delineation%20and%20demarcation%20of%20LAC.%20Just%20a%20commitment%20to%20the%20present%20climate%20of%20mistrust%20is%20not%20reassuring.%20Without%20a%20timeframe%20and%20stipulated%20benchmarking%20it%20would%20only%20create%20an%20opportunity%20for%20the%20Dragon%20to%20again%20strike%20back%20with%20renewed%20ferocity%20in%20future.
The%20other%20much%20professed%20Chinese%20model%20of%20Buffer%20Zones%20is%20fraught%20with%20danger%20to%20national%20security.%20It%u2019s%20a%20ploy%20to%20instil%20complacency%20and%20create%20weakness%20to%20be%20subsequently%20exploited.%20It%20seeks%20an%20advantage%20to%20the%20Chinese%20and%20an%20opportunity%20in%20time%20and%20space%20to%20strike%20back%20with%20greater%20vigour%20and%20depth.%20It%20sans%20common%20sense%20with%20differing%20LAC%20perceptions%20to%20withdraw%20into%20your%20own%20territory%20amounting%20to%20the%20loss%20of%20territory%20and%20compromising%20territorial%20integrity.%20Further%2C%20it%20would%20deny%20Indian%20patrolling%20and%20infrastructure%20development%20in%20the%20vicinity%20of%20LAC%20with%20the%20Chinese%20infrastructure%20already%20in%20place.%20%26nbsp%3BIn%20both%20these%20options%2C%20the%20Chinese%20would%20attempt%20to%20offset%20the%20Indian%20advantage%20of%20dominating%20the%20strategic%20heights%20South%20of%20Pangong%20Tso%20astride%20Spanggur%20gap%20in%20the%20critical%20Chushul%20sector.
Even%20the%20so-called%20CBM%20-%20Confidence%20Building%20Measures%2C%20%26nbsp%3Blike%20the%20intimation%20of%20training%20events%20and%20infrastructure%20development%2C%20lines%20of%20military%20communication%20between%20both%20parties%2C%20information%20sharing%20mechanisms%2C%20periodic%20border%20meetings%20etc%20must%20also%20have%20the%20military%20stamp%20of%20approval%20before%20its%20finalization%20or%20even%20fielding%20it%20as%20a%20proposal.
%3Cstrong%3EPrudence%2C%20not%20Haste%20Must%20Define%20the%20Course%3C/strong%3E
The%20Himalayan%20impasse%20is%20here%20to%20stay%20for%20some%20time.%20Winters%20will%20be%20a%20key%20indicator%20of%20the%20Chinese%20intent%20cum%20resilience%20and%20the%20firm%20Indian%20response.%20The%20Indian%20military%20with%20its%20high%20level%20of%20operational%20readiness%20must%20be%20prepared%20to%20stymie%20any%20Chinese%20forays%20and%20escalation%20not%20only%20in%20Ladakh%20Sector%20but%20in%20the%20Central%20and%20Eastern%20Sector%20too.%20Upgrading%20military%20capabilities%20and%20modernization%20must%20also%20find%20the%20time-sensitive%20focus%20to%20plug%20any%20voids.%20While%20India%20hopes%20for%20the%20best%20yet%20must%20be%20prepared%20for%20the%20worst.
It%20must%20be%20understood%20that%20any%20delay%20in%20crisis%20resolution%20is%20more%20detrimental%20to%20the%20Chinese%20establishment%20with%20its%20global%20and%20domestic%20image%20taking%20a%20beating%20by%20the%20days.%20Thus%20there%20must%20be%20no%20haste%20on%20the%20Indian%20side%20by%20compromising%20its%20national%20interests%20without%20seeking%20the%20LAC%20resolution.%20While%20the%20Indian%20soldier%20will%20stand%20tall%20defending%20all%20aggressions%20with%20fortitude%2C%20the%20political%20and%20diplomatic%20dispensation%20must%20continue%20to%20aggressively%20build%20economic%20and%20diplomatic%20pressures%20on%20the%20Dragon%20and%20its%20numerous%20fault%20lines%20both%20globally%20and%20individually%20as%20an%20empowered%20nation%20with%20no%201962%20historic%20baggage.%26nbsp%3B
