New Delhi: The proxy war by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, whose “sudden escalation” we are seeing in south of Pir Panjal, and prolonged border dispute with China are two major security challenges that India faces, while the issue of instability in “our neighbourhood” is another “cause of concern” for the nation, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said on Thursday.
His remarks come in the backdrop of the ongoing political situation in Bangladesh.
Addressing a conference hosted by industry body FICCI in New Delhi, General Chauhan said the “global geopolitical environment is in a state of a flux”.
“And, I believe that we are passing through an era of great global disruption. It encompasses technological disruption, economic, environmental whether it is climate change, demographic, migration of people or whether it is peace and security,” General Chauhan said.
The global security environment has been “altered actually by two major wars” that are not only intense but also been protracted for a very, very long time, he added.
“However, there are other conflicts also, ranging from other parts of the world, be it Myanmar, be it Sudan or Congo. The war in Libya, Syria, Yemen and Armenia may have settled out for the time being, but peace or lasting peace is elusive,” the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) said.
He said in his view, actually, “the world is in the most violent phase of its existence, ever since World War II”.
“The vagaries of this VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) (of the) world are severely impacting global defence supply chains, especially ammunition. The global arms industry is presently grappling between this widening gap of demand and supply,” the CDS added.
Underscoring the significance of civil-military fusion, he called upon the “troika” of the Services, defence industries and scientists, including the academia to come together for promoting the nation’s ‘Aatmanirbharta’ drive.
General Chauhan in his address also spoke of India’s security challenges.
“India has its own share of challenges, security challenges, we have a proxy war… by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, whose sudden escalation we are seeing in south of Pir Panjal, and the prolonged border dispute with China is yet to abate. These are two major security challenges that we face,” he said.
The issue of instability in “our neighbourhood is another cause of concern for us,” the CDS said, without naming any country.
General Chauhan asserted that strong armed force backed by strong industrial sector is hence a sine qua non for the nation-state.
“For a large nation like India with plentitude of security problems, it cannot remain dependent on foreign imports for war-fighting and sustenance, especially in an environment where the global security environment is in a state of flux. And, we have live borders…,” he said.
The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a standoff in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides have completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.
“India’s quest for ‘Atmanirbharata’ is central to maintaining strategic autonomy,” the CDS said.
Innovations during a war that is applicable not just for technology or tactics but also for ammunition. One sees it happening in Ukraine, as even during Kargil war it happened, he said.
General Chauhan said indigenous capabilities can also open up “new vistas” not only for defence industry but also for defence diplomacy.
The reliance on imports to bridge this gap is becoming a necessity of most nations, highlighting global interdependence in defence supplies. But as the saying goes in every challenge there is an opportunity and in ever cloud there is a silver lining, the CDS said.
“These disruptions have presented an opportunity for the global defence arms manufactures including ammunition factories, including Indian markets,” he added.
