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Abstract

The events of 2020 mark a watershed moment for Sino-Indian relations, with India reevaluating its strategic posture vis-à-vis China. Reorienting the country's military posture remains a crucial aspect of deterring future Chinese aggression along the border. Though the past few decades have seen various CBMs and border agreements holding the peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), events like the Galwan clash and Op Snow Leopard reflect the inadequacy of past agreements, and the urgent need to bolster India's conventional deterrence against China's military.

What are the immediate doctrinal changes and modernisation India's military should take to counter the continental threat from China? What aspects of China's military should worry India's security establishment the most? Will the LAC now be an 'active' border, as the Line of Control is with Pakistan? How can India rebuild CBMs and ensure credible deterrence against China? How should the Army and Air Force work together to ensure a military edge along the LAC? These themes, and other issues will be discussed in this webinar.

About the Panelists

Lt. Gen. DS Hooda (Retd.), PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM** was commissioned into the 4th Battalion of the 4th Gorkha Rifles on 15 Dec 1976. During his career spanning forty years he has gained vast experience of counterinsurgency, both in Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East Region. He commanded an Infantry Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir, a Division in Manipur and the 16 Corps at Nagrota. Lt Gen DS Hooda took over the command of the Northern Army on 01 Jun 2014 and retired from there in December 2016. He was responsible for handling the disputed and troubled borders with Pakistan and China as well as counterinsurgency operations in J&K. He is co-founder of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research, New Delhi and a Senior Fellow at the Delhi Policy Group.

Air Marshal Anil Khosla (Retd.) PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC is the former Vice-Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force who also served as AOC-in-C Eastern Air Command. His other appointments include Director General Air Operations, Senior Air Staff Officer Central Air Command, Air Officer Commanding J&K, and AOC Maritime Air Operations (along with Navy). He has overseen operations relating to the Doklam crisis, as well as the Balakot strike. Having served in all sectors of the IAF's operational commands, he has been closely involved with the formulation of Air Force War Plans, Force Structure Planning, and Capability Building. He holds two MPhil degrees on Defence and Strategic Studies, and is pursuing a PhD on "Decoding China's Brain". A Distinguished Fellow at USI, New Delhi, he is also associated with the Centre for Air Power Studies and Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses.

About the Chair

Lt. Gen. (Dr) VK Ahluwalia (Retd.) PVSM, AVSM**, YSM, VSM retired as GOC-in-C Central Command in 2012, after a career spanning four decades. Thereafter, he served as a Member, Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Jaipur – Jodhpur Benches, for four years, presently he is the Director CLAWS. He commanded an Infantry Brigade in Uri Sector (2001-02), Mountain Division in Kargil (2005-06) and Corps in Leh -Ladakh Sector (2008-09). He was the first Indian Brigadier to attend the National Defence Course (NDC), at Dhaka (Bangladesh), in 2003. As a young helicopter pilot, he was based in Srinagar and Leh, where he flew extensively in the Kashmir valley and the Ladakh region. A Doctorate in 'Internal Security and Conflict Resolution', he has also authored a book, "Red Revolution 2020 and Beyond".