The unresolved boundary dispute with China is the biggest national security challenge ahead of India, followed by Pakistan’s proxy war, said the Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Friday. After these, CDS Chauhan posed regional instability, its impact on India, and the preparations needed to handle future battlefield scenarios with high technology components in a rapidly challenging environment as the third and fourth major challenges. The statement of CDS Chauhan came during his address at an event in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur.
He then added that dealing with threats emanating from two adversaries with nuclear weapons is another major challenge facing New Delhi, as India has to be ready for any kind of conventional warfare.
"I consider the unresolved border dispute with China as the biggest challenge. The second major challenge is the proxy war being run by Pakistan against India," Gen Chauhan said.
"Pakistan's strategy has been to 'bleed India by a thousand cuts. It means keep hurting India slowly at a regular interval and keep the flow of blood continuing in the country." The military official said the third biggest security challenge is emanating from the regional instability, especially the way India's neighbouring countries are facing social, political, and economic unrest.
Further, shedding light on India’s May Operation Sindoor, General said that the armed forces had full operational freedom, and that the aim was not only to avenge the killings of 26 innocents in the Pahalgam terror attack but also to draw a red line to the cross-border terrorism. He then highlighted the role played by the National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval, during the operation, in implementing, planning, and guiding the military that included target selection, deployment of troops, a framework for de-escalation, and use of diplomacy.
"The fourth challenge would be what kind of warfare we will have in future. Wars are changing rapidly. Future wars will not be confined to land, air and water. It will include space, cyber and electromagnetic domains. It will be a challenge for us to make adjustments and keep ourselves ready for such a scenario," he said.
On the fifth challenge, the CDS said "both our adversaries are equipped with nuclear arsenals and It will remain a challenge for us what kind of conventional war we will fight and what kind of operation we choose to deal with them." Gen Chauhan said the sixth challenge is about "technology and its impact" on future warfare.
"The aim was not only to avenge the (Pahalgam) terrorist attack, but also to draw a red line of our patience," he said.
The CDS said the National Security Advisor (NSA) has a significant role to play in dealing with national security challenges and it was evident during Operation Sindoor.
"That was seen in the operation. The NSA provided guidance that included help in target selection, deployment of troops in terms of size and timing — how to do it in a non-escalatory manner, framework for de-escalation and use of diplomacy," he said.
Gen Chauhan said the tri-services synergy was also on full display during the May 7 to 10 operation.
In that context, he elaborated on efforts of the last few years to ensure jointmanship among the three services.
"We tried to synergise communication systems among the Army, Navy and the Air Force, we tried to synergise our air defence systems and counter drone apparatus," he said.
Gen Chauhan described Operation Sindoor as a "multi-domain operation that included coordination among various wings of the military".
The joint mobilisation was a crucial aspect of it, he said. In the context of geopolitical turmoils in various geographies, he delved into various emerging threats and challenges and observed that war is an extension of politics.
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