The Indian Army is undertaking its first strategic transformation in more than two decades. And it has its sights firmly on China.
India’s 1.1 million-strong army is on the verge of major doctrinal and organisational change.
Working from the results of a ‘Transformation Study,’ which was produced by a team of generals led by Chief of Army Staff Gen. VK Singh when he was Eastern Army Commander, a series of radical suggestions are set to be implemented to bring about a paradigm shift in the way the Indian Army is deployed and operationalised, both defensively and offensively.
Essentially, the changes are aimed at strengthening the Army’s capacity for fighting what one serving general has described as a war on ‘two and a half fronts’—a reference to possible simultaneous confrontations with Pakistan and China at the same time as managing an internal counter-insurgency effort.
So far, India’s four wars with Pakistan and one with China have been stand-alone conflicts, but India’s strategic thinkers are concerned that there’s a genuine possibility that close allies China and Pakistan could launch a joint offensive against India.
And the Army doesn’t want to be caught flat-footed. Instead, it’s looking for an overhaul in thinking that will produce a force capable of quick mobilization and rapid deployment.
Speaking at his annual media event, on January 15, Singh confirmed that this current line of thinking reaches up to the highest levels of the force. At the event, Singh revealed publicly for the first time that the Army would ‘reorganise, restructure and relocate’ various formations to help transform it into a more agile and lethal force. ‘We’re looking at reorganising and restructuring our force headquarters…for faster decision making, so that it becomes slightly flattened and more responsive,’ he said.
These views chimed with comments he made last year, when he told me: ‘Our focus is now shifting from being an adversary-specific force to a capability-based force, able to fight across the spectrum—in the mountains, in the desert, night and day, in the hot summer or harsh winter.’
According to Singh, the Army is planning ‘test beds’ to try out some of the concepts contained in the study with a view to eventually implementing them on a larger scale. ‘We’re looking at theaterisation of combat support resources to ensure synergy of resources in a theatre,’ he added.
So what does this mean in practical terms? Top generals have indicated that under these plans, the Army will be organised in a way that allows two theatres to be independent of each other so that one theatre won’t require the resources of another if both are engaged in combat operations. In addition, the Army is also reportedly planning to increase its aviation assets by securing more helicopters for the Army Aviation Corps.
Photo Credit: Antônio Milena
View as Single Page
Reddit
Digg
StumbleUpon
Delicious
Technorati
Yahoo
Google
Plurk
Tom Travers
It’s really quite amusing. The Chinese have an army of internet warriors who trawl the internet for fora to provoke others with their uber-nationalistic narcissism and then have the temerity to accuse others of being “nationalistic” when they respond. After all, everything revolves around the Middle Kingdom don’t you know – how dare others contest their claims to the Galaxy?
You know, those who don’t have much of note but have a deep-rooted inferiority complex tend to bark the loudest. The Chinese are generally loud and obnoxious and work very hard on facades and “saving face”, because of a distinct lack of actual substance underneath it all. The most recent example being this trumpeting of their new J-20 stealth fighter which is ridiculously overhyped given it’s something for which there is very little actual information available. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be quite mediocre underneath the airframe (copied of course from the US and Russian designs). This kind of attitude of persistent deception is something that has always been part of the Chinese character and is reflected in every Chinese person I’ve ever known in my life (and I’ve known many).
There’s only so far that propaganda and bluster can go before reality sets in. Sorry guys, but the “rise” of China is going to end up being an almighty damp squib and it’s probably going to happen in our lifetime. Or at least I hope so, I would very much look forward to that particular piece of entertainment.
Cue the infuriated high-pitched squawking and furious flapping of arms…
quoch
If you think Chinese people are overly nationalistic then you don’t know how to distinguish countries. Chinese people are naturally pissed off that the foreign policy of some Western countries seems aimed at entertaining the possibility of the country dissolving (Taiwan, Tibet). You think Americans would tolerate the same kind of policy aims coming from China?
Tom Travers
That’s a strawman argument – something else which in my experience is commonly used by the Chinese (though I don’t know if you actually are from China). Helps to avoid having to deal with the issue at hand, you see – and is of course a cheap way to seem as though you are “saving face”.
Like I say, I don’t know if you’re Chinese but if you are, have you tried looking beyond your persistent victim mentality and sense of universal entitlement to at least entertain the notion that the Western world (understandably) wants to maintain their economic, military and political hegemony over the rest of the world *in general*, not just China? I’m sure they’d like to see other big nations fracture into pieces too, like Russia and India. And why would you expect anything else?
And you bleat on about Tibet and Taiwan in your trademark oh-haven’t-we-been-hard-done-by manner (why not ask the Tibetans who have been hard done by), yet with typical hypocrisy evade the sad reality that China has been and is guilty of coveting the territories of other countries, directly or indirectly proliferating nuclear technology, fomenting insurgencies to further their agenda and arming terrorists while maintaining plausible deniability. What gives the Chinese the moral high-ground? The problem is again that the Chinese sense of victimhood is driven by the faulty assumption that China has somehow a greater entitlement to own/control/lead the world than other nations. Here’s a reality check: THEY DON’T – because they are no more special or important than anyone else. Try and understand the alarmingly simple fact that the Chinese do *not* become victims simply by virtue of other nations’ resistance or objection to their expansionist urges!
The U.S. isn’t perfect and they are responsible for causing their fair share of misery around the world under the guise of “spreading freedom and democracy” – but who in their right mind who isn’t a brainwashed Communist drone wants them to be replaced by an authoritarian China as the world’s most powerful nation? Nobody who isn’t a simpleton believes the garbage about China’s “rise” being peaceful or benign – the simple fact is that China *wants* to supplant the U.S. and “rule the world” and they are actively working towards that. If they ever achieved that goal, I have no doubt whatsoever that it would be a dark day for humanity. I am however comforted by my own conviction that it won’t actually happen (or at least, if it did it won’t last very long).
Anyway it’s been fun. I very rarely post on Internet fora and even more rarely reply to a reply but sometimes get the urge. You or someone else may well reply yet again, no doubt with a lot more bluster, misdirection and/or routine obfuscation, but it won’t be anything I haven’t heard before. I certainly won’t be back to waste more time reading any of it.
Artanis
China will rise but India is going to rise faster according to the world bank which has predicted from 2012 India will lead growth race. The half in two and half front can very well mean Nepal as Nepal is currently under Maoist control and while it lacks military it can provide a route to Chinese forces. Though judging by massive upgradation of India’s military it is safe to assume that the relations between the two giants will improve as an attack on each other goes from hard to impossible. Pakistan is becoming more of an afterthought as it lacks ability to face conventional warfare and with deployment of India’s missile shield ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Ballistic_Missile_Defense_Program ) would nullify limited nuclear strike.
Frank
“Nepal is currently under Maoist control and while it lacks military it can provide a route to Chinese forces.” “Pakistan is becoming more of an afterthought as it lacks ability to face conventional warfare”
You are not thinking straight.
Why would China want to attack through Nepal over the mighty Himalaya when they can attack with the world heaviest armor divisions from Pakistan through the new China-Pakistan railway.
And/or simply attack from the sea with the world fastest amphibious tanks.
Yes, I agree that if Indians can leave China alone, China would not have to attack India. However, if Indians is attacking China directly or in-directly through Dalai Lama, then China must attack India in return.
John
Frank,
Sometimes I think that the reason that China and Chinese Commentators have such a problem with India isn’t because they see them as a real threat in terms of economics or even military.
Its because the Chinese basis for acting like a authotarian hegemon over other nations is the number of population and land mass. India provides the rest of Asia an alternative, a nation with a similar population and close geographical size that is not considered a threat by it neighbors (except for Pakistan and thats a religious dispute).
It must irk China that here is a nation in the neighborhood who can be just as big and successful as China without following a similar political and relationship path.
It may be that this is the reason for many Chinese commentators who have a real hard on for India and whats suprising is that until I read the comments on this web page, I never knew that.
Its the comments by many Chinese on these pages that really make me look twice at the country and its long term policies.
Sometimes, people shoot themselves in thier own foot. :)
Frank
China will “rise” for sure. Nobody can stop that tide.
Peaceful rise would be nice.
However, there is an old Chinese saying. “Although the tree wants to be still, the wind will not stop.”
Regardless, a direct war against India is not the best option for China.
The best way to defeat India is to suppot India’s “freedom fighters”.
John
@Frank So you are openly suggesting that China should support terrorists in India! I must say that this was the most despicable comment I ever read in this site and I am shocked that people of China can stoop so low just to hurt India’s growth.
Frank
China does not support terrorists. China should follow Americans. Support freedom fighters in India in return for India’s support of freedom fighters in China.
We are on the same level.
John
@Frank said “China should follow Americans.”
Ahhh… really interesting indeed. One one hand you try to defame US in nearly every comment you post and on the other hand, when it suites you, its US model that is ideal. If it isn’t hypocrisy then I don’t know what is.
And, India never supported any terrorists in China. I challenge you to give me a proof.(Note: Xinhua doesn’t count as credible proof or anything credible at all). India was infact among the first countries to recognize China, India gave its own seat of United nations security council to China, India adopted ‘Indian and Chinese are brothers’ as a national slogan and despite these China attacked India destroying what could have been biggest and most powerful alliance. Despite that unfair treatment India acted very maturely and has stated clearly to Dalai Lama that he should not raise border issues. India is infact an example of what to expect if you trust China. A lesson that Pak and N.Korea will soon learn…
Observer
Readers of The Diplomat, please read these articles and see who is the true aggressor:
http://the-diplomat.com/2010/05/06/china-ready-to-dominate-seas/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Paracel_Islands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Liberation_Army_invasion_of_Tibet_(1950%E2%80%931951)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaceful_Liberation_of_Xinjiang
There are much more. Google “Inner Mongolia”, “Sino-Vietnam War 1979″ and see for yourself.
John
I am more concerned that while the Chinese Government speaks about friendly relations with its neighbors, we have Chinese or pro Chinese commentators who seem to advocate war agains thier neighbors.
If we consider that they are probably part of the 10% of Chinese who are educated and wealthy, then it makes me wonder how many Chinese actually have a victim complex and want to revenge themselves against so called aggressors?
Even if those actions occurred even before they were born. Hostory tells us one thing and that is that a militaristic Japan caused carnage in the 1930s through an aggressive movement for control of resources and yet still lost a war in which possibly millions died.
Yet when they did it through simply economic means, they have businesses in almost every country in the world. Maybe Chinese commentators on heer need to learn from that and stop trying to outhate the rest and just live at peace with them.