The World Is Bipolar---A Democratic Alliance Serves India's Best Interests

Friday’s statement by the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that China is testing the world’s resolve and nerve to stand up against its bullying and aggressive posturing is bang on. More so, it applies to India. India should play its cards right and make the right noises and moves. Till a decade or so back, it appeared that the world is multi-polar, but no more now. On the one side is the alliance of democratic nations led by US, UK, Israel, Canada, Australia, EU, Japan and some nations of Eastern Europe which are now part of NATO, on the other side is the communist block led by China, Russia, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, and the countries of the SCO.

India must align with the democratic alliance if it needs to ensure peace along its borders with China and Pakistan. Repeated dithering, wavering, playing ping pong with both sides will cost India dearly. The US is the only country in the world which has sent its military to fight for democratic principles all over the world without hope for a quid pro quo. The US has proved it’s a reliable partner to its allies who share the same values and principles. A unified EU will go with and back the US alliance. India must make a choice and make it abundantly clear to the world that it is with the US-led democratic alliance, letting go old supporters like Russia.

What India must learn is that it must stop making frivolous and meaningless noises both internally and externally. A case in point is the arrival of the first tranche of the fifth generation Rafale fighters. The domestic media went overboard highlighting their arrival. This was unnecessary. The Rafales should have been inducted quietly without clanging the bells for the enemy to hear. Given India’s volatile neighbourhood, we must have not 40 Rafales but at least 100 fifth/sixth generation fighters/bombers. We must quickly reduce and phase out our dependence on Russian arms and opt for better quality arms from US, EU, Israel and Japan.

India must curtail its wasteful domestic expenditure which is beset with leakages and allocate at least 3.5 per cent of its GDP to defence. We need at least 3 aircraft carriers with support destroyers, frigates and submarines to guard the Indian ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea. We must have modern and lethal assault rifles, carbines, pistols and protective gear for our infantry and frontline soldiers and raise 3-4 mountain strike divisions. Given the unreliable nature of China and Pakistan, we must constantly deploy 100,000 troops along the LAC and the Macmohan line with China and 50,000 troops along the LoC with the Pakistan border. These troops must be war-ready at all times.

Now that the Indian and Chinese armies are standing opposite each other with approximately 40,000 soldiers each on either side in Eastern Ladakh, and the Chinese still have to withdraw and pull back troops from 3-4 finger points, what are we waiting for? For the Chinese to attack? They have already attacked and grabbed our territory! We must now counter strike. The Chinese have transgressed into our territory and refuse to accept the decades'-long status quo along the LAC. India must make it clear to the Chinese that by August 15^th, 2020 there must be a complete and unconditional withdrawal from the Chinese side failing which we will take military action and evict the Chinese by force. Are we crossing the line? Certainly not! It is our right to reclaim our territory.

India must take this action before the winter sets in. Once the winter sets in with heavy snow in the area, it will severely cripple our ability to launch offensive operations. The Chinese know that and this is the reason they are indulging in delay tactics. We must not fall prey to the Chinese machinations. Umpteen times they have proved they are extremely crafty and cunning and every time we fall prey to their platitudes. Not anymore. If they don’t withdraw completely by 15^th August, we must use our deadly special forces acclimitised to cold weather and with mortar and artillery support from behind push them back. Once the Chinese know that we can undertake attack operations, they will be much careful in the future and wont indulge in salami slicing of our territory.