India Versus China: Why They Are Not Friends: Juggernaut Books, New Delhi (2021) ISBN 978-93-9116-508-6, 284 pp.
Taking the Eastern Ladakh crisis as the backdrop, Kanti Bajpai, a renowned scholar of international affairs with a special interest in India-China relations, in his book India Versus China: Why They Are Not Friends contextualises the antagonism in the India-China ties by drawing from the past and assessing the implications of it in the present and future. As Bajpai emphatically posits: “Why did these two societies become locked into a conflict that has stubbornly refused to go away?” (p. 1). To which, Bajpai suggests the need for a deeper introspection as proved by the Ladakh crisis, the relations between the two countries “are darker and more complex than most observers appreciate or acknowledge” (ibid.). To be specific, as Bajpai asks in the very title- Why India and China are not Friends?
Centre For Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi, India
Copyright (c) 2021 Centre For Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi, India
Face Off: Analysis of India’s Capability to Fight a Two Front War : KW Publishers, New Delhi (2021) ISBN 978-93-89137-92-7, 616 pp.
The book Face-Off: Analysis of India’s Capability to Fight a Two-Front War by Ravi Rikhye, a distinguished author with 35 books to his credit and expertise in military matters offers a detailed narration of India’s capability to fight a two-front war. It is a well-researched book that presents cogent arguments on the subject of India’s capability to fight a two-front war.
India-Iran Relations and the Afghanistan Factor
Post-America’s chaotic withdrawal and the resurgence of Taliban in Afghanistan, India’s development and assistance prospects in the country demand stability under the interim regime. Likewise, New Delhi’s Chabahar port development – an initiative along with Iran – seems to remain stalled until the situation in Afghanistan steadies down. With India not being invited (under Pakistani and Chinese objections) in any of the extended troika meetings initiated by Russia, it is imperative for India to develop a one-to-one discussion with the interim government as the country has invested over US$3 billion for Afghanistan reconstruction and development in various aspects. Towards the end of August, India initiated its first public meeting with the Taliban in Doha wherein Indian concerns on the continuation of its developmental efforts in Afghanistan, progress on Chabahar development (though the issue was not explicitlymentioned), and insistence on Taliban not supporting any terror outfits that may harm Indian national security were the prime areas of discussions amongst others. While Afghanistan remains important for India for a host of reasons, the latter’s continued engagement is crucial in maintaining its relations with Iran with which India has had a tumultuous relationship of late owing to the American sanctions on that country.
Military Diplomacy: An Appraisal in the Indian Context
Defence Diplomacy is an integral part of foreign policy and state security, it helps in increasing military cooperation between thecountries and strengthening relations between the states. India’s growing global outreach and vibrancy of its foreign policy can begauged by the fact that it has made substantial efforts in defence and security cooperation, however, India’s defence diplomacy effortsdo not commensurate to its rising global status, since all tools of defence diplomacy have not been used optimally. In this context, thepaper argues for the need to revisit and formulate a strategy that is aligned with India’s foreign policy. It is because defence diplomacy is vital for a state to not only ensure its stable and strong international position but is also significant in shaping a structured and functional security policy.
India Needs Smart Frontiers: An Assessment
In the era of Fourth Industrial Revolution, technology has transformed the ways of doing any business, including warfare. Thehuman element is slowly giving way to machines who would perform major functions including substituting and supplementing rankand file in the Military. Over 22,500 km of India’s frontiers are guarded by various Border Guarding Forces including the CoastGuards to prevent surprise incursions by the adversaries’ State, State-sponsored or Non- State Actors. The Border Guarding Forces act as eyes and ears of the frontiers and can take on basic defensive actions for which colossal manpower is used. For a Military threat, Regular Forces take over the responsibility for the Defense of the Nation. There is a case for optimizing manpower and increasing efficiency by bringing smart systems in delivering constant situational awareness and response solutions. This would also ensure that all stakeholders are networked in real-time. A combination of sensors, electronic and digital platforms, Data and Communication centers, using Terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial means, would build a ‘system of systems for Common Operational Picture at Strategic, Operational and Tactical levels. Data/intelligence analysis and automation would be possible if such systems are ubiquitous and part of the overall National security apparatus. The smart frontiers would soon be an inescapable necessity for the Defense of the nation.
From a time when Kashmir was regarded as the epitome of communal amity and the unequivocal support that the people of the state gave to the idea of India, to the past three decades of relative inversion of opinions, even if of a segment of the community, the state has travelled a long distance in a small span of its timeless history. All relevant parties to the Kashmir questions have had a role to play in this quagmire of intrigue and deceit. Any resolution is only conceivable if there is acceptance of the role that each has played in bringing the situation to the current pass and taking magnanimous steps in undoing the errors that have given rise to ill- perceptions on all sides. This paper seeks to highlight some of the most glaring issues that have bred distrust and suggest a way forward.
CLAWS Journal; Vol. 14 No. 2 (2021): Winter 2021; 80-94
The Gilgit-Baltistan Factor in India-Pakistan Dynamics
Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir, is swiftly ascending on the geopolitical horizon in the wake of coveted ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor being built through it. Given India’s strident reservations on CPEC based on its extant claim on the region,GB has gained considerable focus in the India-Pakistan equations as well. GB represents a stark reality that stares at India’s broaderquest against burgeoning Sino- Pakistan nexus on its periphery. The paper relooks at India-Pakistan dynamics-bilateral and geopolitical through the lens of GB while listing out India’s approach, position, and implications vis-à-vis GB.
CLAWS Journal; Vol. 14 No. 2 (2021): Winter 2021; 62-79
Restructuring for India’s Disputed Borders: An Appraisal
In the present geopolitical melee, the tools of strategic coercion and conflicts are finding new ways to achieve the desired end. The need today is to restructure and reshape a ‘big war military with smart, lean, agile and combined arms joint warfare smart capabilities’. India’s military strategy must focus on ‘offensive domination with maneuver warfare orientation rather than attritionist ground holding mindsets. The restructuring philosophy will accordingly need to focus on a ‘capability-based approach with deterrence based on denial’. The operational need is to move from large bulky formations to modular technology-enabled networked Brigades and Divisional sized Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs). The challenge is to restructure in an institutionalized time-bound manner that is neither too much too soon nor too little too late.
CLAWS Journal; Vol. 14 No. 2 (2021): Winter 2021; 46-61
India’s Internal Security: Threat Perception and Way Forward
Contrary to popular discourse, the threats emanating from the internal security issues pose serious security threats to the Indian stateand its people. Faced with numerous internal security challenges, the Indian experience of dealing with them has been a mixed experience. Arguably, no other country has ever faced such multiple internal security threats, in various forms and intensity than the Indian state. While the threat perception emanating from the internal security challenges has de-escalated over the last few years, they refuse to die down. Considering the immediacy of the issue, this paper critically engages with the contemporary internal security challenges that the Indian state encounters. In doing so the paper reflects upon the very process through which each of these internal security threats operates and highlights the nature and the intensity of threat perception. Through providing a conceptual framework, the paper also evaluates the state's responses to the internal security issues. The paper limits its scope to four major internal security issues in India: The Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the violent conflicts in the Northeastern states, Separatism and terrorism in Jammu, and Kashmir (J&K), and communal violence and religious radicalization.
CLAWS Journal; Vol. 14 No. 2 (2021): Winter 2021; 28-45
Internal Security and Economic Cost of Violence: An Analysis
South Asia is one of the most unstable and volatile regions of the world and stands second least peaceful region out of nine regions that were evaluated by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). The ranking of the peacefulness of most of the South Asian countries is also rather low. In a developing country like India, the economic cost of violence at 5 percent of its GDP is too high. The causes of internal conflicts can be attributed to factors like ineffectiveness of the governance systems, sub-nationalism, deprivations, discrimination, social injustice, ethnic, sectarian, and religious polarisation, socio-economic exclusion, identity crisis, and competition for fast depleting crucial resources. These conflicts manifest in the form of insurgencies, terrorism, low-intensity armed conflicts, civil wars, and related political violence. There is a definite relationship between terrorism and internal armed conflicts, as both generally follow near similar contours. The terrorists have tried to destroy the very idea of India – democratic, secular, growth-oriented economy, excellence in IT and industry. Almost all elements of national power have a role - direct or indirect - on matters of national security, to suppress internal armedconflicts, and finally to resolve them. The legitimate aspirations and grievances of the people must be identified region-wise and addressed with a sense of urgency. The Government needs to formulate a comprehensive National Security Strategy (CNSS), to give a definite direction to the role of each element of national power in the short and long term, and minimize its economic cost of violence.
CLAWS Journal; Vol. 14 No. 2 (2021): Winter 2021; 1-27