Bolstering Defence capabilities: Causious or Ambitious India

Since the inception of the modern Indian state, India has always been under grave pressure by two of it's adversary neighbours. One being 1/7th of the size of India while one being more then thrice bigger then India. 

Insurgency of Pakistan sponsered terrorists resulting in blood bath in KASHMIR and other parts of India, or fray with Chinese PLA at the LAC at almost every year, India has always been cautious regarding it's sovereignity and territorial integrity. Four wars with Pakistan, one of them eventuated into birth of a new nation Bangladesh while one with China in 1962 resulting into a humiliating defeat and moral loss was enogh for the Indian leadership to emphasise on defence capabilities. 

Now when we take a long jump and come to the 21st century things have changed for India, it's neighbours and for the world. The US which was almost to attack India in 1971 Bangladesh was considers India now as a MAJOR-DEFENCE PARTNER which is exclusive for India and there is no other country with this status. Pakistan continues to be a major threat to India and even today most of of the military initiatives are taken by keeping an eye on Islamabad. Russia the most trusted friend of India is standing tall with China, thanks to the unreliable American sanctions policies. It is also considered that France and Israel have in some way collectively replaced Russia from the Indian defence sector which heavily relies on the imports from major countries. While the US is still struggling to replace Russian goodwill from Indians. We can see a clear change in global partnership of India. But there is a big change in the instances of New Delhi towards it's adverseries. 

India now focuses more on Chinese activities in comparison to Pakistan and thanks to the new Chinese incursions and propaganda against India, this attitude has taken a big boost. Since 2017 when India and China were locked in rift, infamosly called as Doklam standoff India has been ramphing up it's defence infrastructure and military mordernisation to at least manage in detering China. The COMCASA, LEMOA and BECA agreement with US or getting new Fighters like Rafael into its arsenel, China has almost completely replaced Pakistan as major threat to India and it's intrests. 

To add Fuel in this China almost supported a propaganda campaign of Pakistan over abrogation of Article 370 of Kashmir in 5 August 2019 by calling meetings in UNSC, which was blocked by France and US on multiple occasions.

The recent standoff since April 2020 in Laddakh where China transgressed into Indian territory forcefully and attacking Indian soldiers on June 2020 which lead to death of 20 Indian soldiers and unidentified number of Chinese soldiers took a big blow to there relationship. This eventually led to paceup the Indian defence preperations. Indian comanders were given allocatory power of ₹100 crores and the standoff situation was taken as an opportunity to develop mutual coordination between Indian forces, the Army, Navy and Airforce. Several emergency purchases were made all focused on countering China. 

When we come out of the bubble of neighbourhood issues there are several incentives taken by India in middle East as well which was part of its long term deplomatic plan of reaching Saudi Arabia and UAE who are considered close to Pakistan. Again, defence capablities played well for India as both the major powers of middle East are intrested in Indian defence equipment like supersonic missile BRAHMOS and Naval assests and also on the world class training Indian soldiers can deliver to the Saudi and UAE armies, for which they were heavily relied on Pakistan. There are also news of Indian soldiers 1st time landing in Saudi Arabia for a joint military exercise. India was already engaging with UAE through these means. Even Brazil is intrested in Indian defence equipment. 

More over the cabinet committee on security and defence aquisition council cleared the largest defense aquisition of India, which was the home grown and indigeniously developed LCA TEJAS considered as best in its category. Also there are several projects like development of the 5th generation fighter AMCA is considered to be in the arsenal by some 2030 as estimated by DRDO. A medium weight fighter TEJAS mk-2 category is also expected by year 2026 in the Indian airforce which will be supporting the depleting squadrons. 

Chinese PLA navy was declared biggest navy on the planet with about 75 submarines, this raised questions over south block preparation as India is having only 16 submarines with only 2 nuclear powered. Sources tells Indian PSUs are working on some 12 nuclear powered and 6 conventional submarines to counter China and Pakistan both in the Indian Ocean region. China is also supplying weapons and heavy Machines to Pakistan for countering India from both sides. 

The Indian military is going through a rigorous mordernisation, as compared to PLA mordernisation though the speed is depreesingly low and India is paving out the way for integrated battle groups to take on China and Pakistan on in a case of two front war and it has been said on multiple occasions by the military leadership that India is capable to fight a two front war but we all better know these statents are mere moral booster for the Indians. 

It's hard to say how will the worlds 2nd largest military will face the combined forces of worlds 1st and 8th largest military. This is a question we all never want to be answered.