Looking at dealing with long-term challenges: CDS Gen Chauhan on China

Looking at dealing with long-term challenges: CDS Gen Chauhan on China

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Friday said India is looking at dealing with long-term challenges that may emanate from China besides focusing on the current situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

He made the remarks at the Raisina Dialogue. The Chief of Defence Staff, especially spoke about bridging any technological deficiencies. The Chief of Defence Staff, especially spoke about bridging any technological deficiencies.

"(We are looking at) not only what is happening along the northern borders, but also long-term challenges so that we do not have a technological kind of a deficiency," he said. On the challenge of various geographies in the world facing "informal wars", he said the enemy has many more options than the defender in such scenarios.

In informal wars, the enemy has many more options than the defender, the CDS said. Moreover, the defence has to be proactive. A strong deterrent is required to dissuade the adversaries, he said.

You need to have strong deterrence so that it dissuades the actors who are attempting to carry out such offensives, he said. Gen Chauhan said a multi-agency, transnational, and inter-disciplinary effort is required to fight information warfare.

He also spoke about the threat of grey zone warfares and cited examples of the situation in the South China Sea. There have been growing global concerns over China's sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons.

Several countries in the region including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims. The UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration, adjudicating the Philippines' case against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea, ruled in favour of Manila. However, China refused to accept the verdict.