Raksha Anirveda
analysis
Combating the Dragon’s Intransigence To counter the Chinese perfidy and deception, India needs to eschew its No First Use policy of nuclear weapons, boost its conventional military strength, and shed its reticence towards military alliances By Pranay K Shome
I
ndia and China are two of the oldest civilisations in the world with rich culture, heritage and history. Ties between the two countries date back to ancient times. It was believed that since China is very similar to India in terms of its historical experiences and geopolitical interests, they would be natural allies. However, the post independence period of India saw the Chinese going back on their promise of brotherhood by attacking India in 1962. Over the years, Chinese border transgressions have increased manifold necessitating India to bolster its defences. However, time and again India and Indians have fallen prey to Chinese perfidy and deception. But matters changed rapidly in the aftermath of the Galwan clash of 2020 when Indian troops outwitted the PLA in acquiring dominant positions on Rezang La, Pangong Tso, Rechang La, etc. However, to provide a more solid answer to the Chinese belligerence, we require a more forceful and assertive response.
China has been engaging in wanton violation of border laws and agreements vis-a-vis India that both sides have signed over the years. The border transgressions in 2020 clearly demonstrate that China has disregarded the sanctity of the 1993 Land Border agreement and has made irrelevant irredentist claims regarding Indian territory 56
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This should begin with a change in India’s nuclear policy. The nuclear policy of India was the brainchild of the late K. Subramanyam, one of India’s foremost strategic experts on geopolitics and the father of the current astute foreign minister and career diplomat Dr Subramanian Jaishankar. India’s nuclear policy was made after intensive consultations with the defence and foreign policy elites of Indian strategic circles. India’s nuclear policy articulates a no-first use policy, unlike our neighbour Pakistan. However, if India is ever attacked with nuclear weapons then invoking domestic constitutional provisions and international legal provisions
particularly Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the nation possess the sovereign right to retaliate with full force and with the full strength of its nuclear arsenal to debilitate the second strike capability of its adversary. Despite being a responsible nuclear power committed to the establishment and maintainence of a rules based international order, China has been engaging in wanton violation of border laws and agreements vis-avis India that both sides have signed over the years. The border transgressions in 2020 clearly demonstrate that China has disregarded the sanctity of the 1993 Land Border agreement and has made irrelevant irredentist claims regarding Indian territory. Therefore, the time has come for New Delhi to eschew its no-first use policy of nuclear weapons. While this raises the threshold of a possible nuclear confrontation between the two Asian behemoths, there is no other way. The threat of use of nuclear weapons constitute one
