Chinese incursions continue across the LAC as fresh incursions are reported from North Sikkim, Ladakh and other sectors. Is India well poised to neutralise any possible threat? CNN-IBN's international affairs editor Surya Gangadharan joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.
Q. Our political leaders have never spoken in one voice regarding the Chinese incursions. Is it a failure on the part of the govt to take the opposition leaders into confidence and discuss strategic matters of national security in an important way? Why is it that we always see the political class trying to one-up each other? Asked by: EM
A. I think it's a reflection of how vitiated politics is in this country. Nothing of national interest or national security is seen in its perspective, it's always through a narrow political prism. I'm not sure if any effort is made to reach out across party platforms to sensitise people periodically on trends in relations with China, government thinking on border resolution or even to build awareness in the nation at large about India China border issues.
Q. We keep talking about Pakistan being a threat to India. Is it not about time after the partition we get out of this syndrome/ China is a real threat and they are continuously needling us. they are the real threat and we need to watch up for their designs and get prepared to take them on else 1962 would be repeated. Asked by: AKS
A. I don't think 1962 can be repeated. India has changed since then, the army's better equipped and although there are gaps in our deployment in the north and east, from what senior officers tell us, we can hold our own. Yes China is the threat but it's also an economic opportunity and we need to understand that. As for Pakistan, the threat from there will come through state collapse or if/when the Jihadis take over the government and its nuclear arsenal.
Q. Is there a deliberate strategy adopted by PLA to provoke the UPA 2 when it is enmeshed in economic worries? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. The PLA has considerable weight in the Chinese establishment. You could say it has its own policy towards neighbours. It was the PLA which insisted on a role in the talks with India on the border. So you have PLA representatives in the delegation now in Delhi. So the PLA is not in the business of provoking India (or UPA) but is asserting its interests and wants to ensure any deal on the border (whenever that happens) safeguards its interests.
Q. If Pakistan which is weaker in Armed Forces than India cannot tolerate any incursion from India (Hypothetically or say to PoK) Why India's Foreign Minister is so petrified from taking any tough stand against China? How is Pakistan so confident but India so careless about its territorial Sovereignty? Asked by: Abdul
A. Indian army officers who have served on the LoC tell me that while Indian posts comprise 10-15 men, Pakistani posts may have only 5 men. This is because they know we are not in the business of infiltrating terrorists or backing jihadis. As regards China, there is an asymmetry in the relationship. China's armed forces, strong infrastructure is backed by a resilient and growing economy. We are not in their league so we speak softly.
Q. It is unlikely but if war happens, considering the current military forces and war weapons, who will win? India or China! Asked by: Ravi Malik
A. Define winning? India will take heavy blows but the Chinese will not get off unscathed. We have the capability to make them hurt. The important point is China's economy is heavily export oriented. There could be losses on that front. Foreign investment might dry up, unemployment will grow and so will social unrest. China cannot afford that.
Q. Don't you think it's time, the country takes stock of North East. It gives an impression to the ordinary citizens that they are disconnected with the main land. All the NE states, which have borders internationally should be very closely monitored and country should indeed see heightened military presence in the area. One more problem is left getting rattled every time there is pressure on the government to get tough on China. Why can't the government of the day think of Economic sanctions, why so many things of domestic usage be imported from China, let the local SME's flourish. I think china is deliberately doing this, to divert the attention of the country so that Militants from Pakistan can have a safe passage. Asked by: S ESHWAR
A. You are putting too many things together. We've neglected the north east because these are small states and don't make a big difference in Parliament in terms of seats. Yes they should be given help but politics there is fractured along tribal/ethnic lines and while insurgency has more or less ended except in Manipur, extortion and violence by criminal gangs continues scaring off investment. As for China, I don't think we are in any position to impose sanctions on them when our telecom firms are buying cheap equipment from them, everything from Chinese electronics to toys is entering the market. That's the scale at which they manufacture, we can't beat them. I don't think China has any interest in abetting jihadi infiltration into India but to the extent Pakistan keeps us off balance, they'll be fine with that.
Q. Why government is quite about intrusion of China force in Indian border. Asked by: ashok
A. The Chinese border is sensitive (as all border issues are) and the government sees no purpose in publicising every intrusion. However it gets out as there are multiple agencies involved on the Line of Actual Control and all it takes is one person with a mobile phone to get the word across.
Q. Why UPA/Congress Govt cannot take a stance on issues of National Security. China is a threat more than Pakistan. Also it is an opportunity. it does mean that we need to lower our guard. We have to make them understand that they have Tibet, Taiwan and Siachen and Ughur etc, as unresolved and we need to play that game. Asked by: Seetharaman
A. You said it, we need to play that game. Maybe we are. Why were the Chinese in such a rush to send their new Premier Li Keqiang to India. It was to tell us not to get into alliance with Japan. They would prefer India to be neutral because they have problems with Japan and the US. We do play the game, subtly.
Q. Why is the GOI not affirmative in acting and is passive to these pin pricks? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. What do you want, a war? By affirmative do you mean forceful? There is an agreement between the two sides not to shoot at each other, so when they meet on the LAC, they unfold banners asking the other to go back and they disengage. The pin pricks will continue because the PLA sees itself as the border security custodian and will not let up in areas which it claims as China's.
Q. China has been proactively helping our immediate neighbors (especially Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Burma, and Pakistan - like a string pf pearls). We have also seen an erosion in our foreign policy towards our neighbors and that of other countries. What should be the immediate steps to counter Chinese influence in our neighbors (especially Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka)? Also should we have a China specific doctrine, which is adhered by successive govts? Asked by: EM
A. One thing is clear, the old consensus on foreign policy is gone. Increasingly the MEA must keep in mind the sentiments in border states such as West Bengal (when dealing with Bangladesh) or Tamil Nadu (when dealing with Sri Lanka). China moves with purpose and efficiency in its relations with our neighbours in the region. Not all of it is inimical, it's just that they are able to provide loans and implement projects quickly where we are not able to. We cannot expect our neighbours to respect us when we fail to deliver or don't do justice to them.
Q. Why is it that there is a sustained effort on the part of Chinese army to encroach India's territories? What has been India's response and has it been effective? Asked by: EM
A. China has claims to Indian territory in the north, middle sector and the east. So they keep intruding and keeping alive their claims. India tries to stop the intrusions but the land area involved in huge and it's not possible (nor efficient/economical) to plug every gap along the Line of Actual Control. Perhaps better technology is the answer.
Q. We have seen repeated incursions by China into disputed territories in the recent past (in India and Japan). Also China has been equipping its armed forces with modern warfare? Is there a correlation between the two? Asked by: EM
A. China has been modernising its forces for more than a decade. It's little to do with India although it helps them. They are in the process of deploying their own aircraft carrier, which will help them tomorrow in the event of any confrontation with Japan. In the case of India their logistics and force levels all along the LAC is far superior to ours.
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