Tuesday, June 5, 2012

THE JUGULAR REALITY: INDIA’S STRATEGIC DEBATE




B.RAMAN



For over a year now, a strategic debate has been going on in Delhi on future threat scenarios relating to State and non-State actors.


2. Our preoccupation till now has been with the continuing threats from the State of Pakistan and from the jihadi terrorist organisations nursed by it. It has also been with China’s continuing collusion with Pakistan and the dangers of a two-front war arising therefrom.


3. The debate has been between a group of classical thinkers and a new generation of thinkers who perceive themselves to be forward-looking and visionary.


4. The classical thinkers do not underestimate the implications of increasing Chinese military and cyber activism. They are worried over the sustained pace of modernisation of the Chinese armed forces and Bejing’s economic clout which enables it to pursue its agenda of power projection.


5.They are equally worried over the increasing Chinese military capabilities in the outer and cyber space . They are, therefore, all for paying additional attention to measures required for strengthening our capabilities vis-à-vis China----by way of infrastructure development, modernisation of our Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and cyber capabilities and revamping our diplomatic skills required to deal with a rising China.


6. To some measure, there is  a convergence of thinking between the classical thinkers and the forward-looking. The forward-looking thinkers are even more worried about China than about Pakistan and want India to take not only the conventional measures outlined above, but even go far ahead by way of building up strategic convergences and co-ordinated thinking with other powers  such as the US, Japan. South Korea and Australia.


7. The new generation of strategic thinkers looks upon our present focus on Pakistan to be over-done and advocate mid-course corrections in order to be able to divert more resources for coping with China.


8. Both the classical and new generation thinkers are agreed  that “how to cope with the rising China---politically, economically and militarily” should be the central question in our strategic debates. However, whereas the new generation of thinkers tends to take a more relaxed attitude towards Pakistan without letting an obsession with Pakistan distort our strategic thinking, the classical thinkers keep cautioning that in our anxiety over the implications of a rising China, we should not forget our painful historical experiences because of the compulsive hostility of the Pakistani State and non-State actors towards India.


9. According to the classical thinkers, there has been no historical enmity between India and China. China’s interests are limited to asserting  what it claims to be   its sovereignty over certain border areas as in Arunachal Pradesh. It also wants to ensure that no threats could arise to its control over Tibet from the Tibetan diaspora in India. Beyond that, they feel, it has no objective of wanting to keep India weak and divided by adding to its internal security problems.


10. On the other hand, Pakistan’s hostility to India is historical and multi-dimensional relating to Jammu & Kashmir and its objective of keeping India weak and divided by constantly adding to its internal security problems.


11. Whoever may be the ruler of Pakistan and whatever may be the overtures and concessions made by India, the “go for India’s jugular” instinct of Pakistan should remain the constant worrisome factor in India’s strategic thinking and planning. So, the classical thinkers feel. That is what an operational and intellectual giant of the R&AW whom I worship told me during a chat.


12. By all means, we should be able to cope with China better so that we don’t become a second rate power of Asia, but in our anxiety on this count, we should not let our capability to protect our jugular from Pakistan be weakened.


13. It is a timely and healthy debate. It is hoped it will lead to a healthy mix of our strategic priorities. (6-6-12)


( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate, Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com . Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )

3 comments:

Krishna Kacker said...

Right from the moment Pakistan came into existance,they have seen India as a threat to its existance/survival as a nation.This feeling got strengthened after India helped creation of Bangla Desh.The powers that are in Pakistan blame India for all their ills.Infact,the entire thinking is based on how to get even with India even if it means cutting their nose to spite us.Infact they have precisely doing that all the while little realising that it has almost destroyed them.
Unlike Pakistan, the Chinese are cool,pragmatic, rational thinkers and every step they take is well thought out.
Without minimising the risk from China,I would think that while their position vis a vis our country can be logically determined,no one ca say what a frustrated,emotional Pakistan would do next.It would not surprise me if tomorrow under the influence of their extreme elements they may be take desperate steps like using a Nuclear Bomb against us.
I therefore would support the stand of the conservative old school of thought rather the relaxed new school which thinks that Pakistan will be a lesser threat.
We have to be vigilant against both the countries but more against Pakistan which is tottering and can do anythink as a desperate act.

Vihan said...

@Raman :


Brilliant article as always, some comments though :

0)I think you are being very mild by describing what the Chinese are doing online as simple ``cyber activism" I would call it cyber terrorism or at the least cyber crime - sabotage, espionage, theft, disabling servies cannot be described as mere activism. Or were you thinking of using the word ``hacktivism" and did a typo?

1)I also think giving Pakistan the benefit of the doubt and using the term ``Non state actors" should be avoided on our part. It just gives Pakistan a bigger rock behind which they can hide.

2)Lastly, this article would have more perspective if the fact that China helped Pakistan's nuclear and missile programs even to the extent of giving warhead designes was mentioned. This has been the singular event for which China must be held accountable for it changed all the dynamics vis a vis Pakistan. Our thinking vis a vis China must always consider this fact and our future strategic formulations must take this action into account while planning things vis a vis China.

Unknown said...

Its a mistake to think that China is a lessor threat of the two.Chinese don't show their true emotions to your face, they plot & scheme and talk in terms of millennium historical discords , territorial claims. We need to understand their expansionist mindset to comprehend threat arising from the northern dragon...they continue to arm & support not just Pakistan but Maoist / Naxalite problem and other NE terror groups are also in touch with Beijing. We need caution while dealing with the hidden snake in the grass that is China.
Madhur Kaicker