THANK YOU CHINA : INDIA WAKES UP TO TWO FRONT WAR

Blame of India not being prepared lies on the Chiefs of the Army Staffs and Army Commanders of Northern and Eastern Command from 1962 to date. None had the courage to make the government see the threat. 58 yrs. of fooling with national security, and finally during Jun-Jul 2020, it made Executive, Bureaucracy and Military looked like fools. Blood of soldiers murdered at Galwan has sealed the lips of leadership.

The military generals stands exposed. There is no leadership. Counter Insurgency since 1984 has produced tactical commanders in Army, each master at getting next rank, but none capable of strategic thinking and shaking the establishment to prepare India for two front war.

Bureaucracy is not only exposed but has proved that it is the biggest internal enemy of India. I am informed that during a presentation in MoD regarding China as threat, the bureaucrats laughed at the Army General who projected China as enemy. In the same presentation the Ministry of External Affairs rep is reported to have said, ‘General Sahab, you take care of one front, we will look after another”, meaning to say Army looks after Pakistan and Diplomats will look after China.

If I was the general there, I would have made sure those bureaucrats enjoy retirement and I would have walked up to Prime Minister, made my point and if required, resigned.

Thank You China : India Wakes Up To Two Front War

The blame of India not being prepared squarely lies on the Chiefs of the Army Staffs and Army Commanders of Northern and Eastern Command from 1962 to date. None had the courage to make the government see the threat. None had the charisma to make the Executive see the threat. What right Chiefs and Army Commanders have today to comment on events which were part their doing too? Weak military men occupied highest positions without deserving to be there in first place. They compromised national security.

Today, China has been halted in tracks and is taking much time in contemplating its next step. India in the meanwhile, Army to be specific, has reacted (in time?) and secured not only Ladakh but complete border up to Arunachal. Politico-Military quagmire China finds itself in today is unprecedented. We are spending much time in giving China the complete advantage and projecting our preparedness negatively. This is not fair.

India on the other hand was completely paralysed for the first two months. Why? Let’s get into the military minds.

Past 33 years

What China is thinking today? Question is best answered by knowing what we were thinking since 58 years.

Since 1987, when, at five years’ service, I was posted to Arunachal/China border, China fascinated me. The more I tried to read and find about its military-the more blanks I hit. Fascination was converted to intrigue, intrigue to shock. I would discuss China with Seniors, Staff Course qualified officers, Divisional Staff, Sand Models and during courses and a common trait came out. We were clueless. Old intelligence reports were used and we displayed apology in place of Chinese ORBAT. We were given responsibility to conduct a presentation to the Division Officers on PLA. No material was available and finally we were handed over 20 year old PLA formation data opposite our division. This explained a lot.

After Arunachal I had a year before I found myself in Chushul – Pangong Tso area. We had no clue what and where PLA was except some report of a camp ahead of Siri Jap. I got deeper into understanding Indian Army mindset. Next 15 yrs. took me to Kupwara (twice), Samba, Batalik & Srinagar. I had seen Western Command in Punjab opp Pakistan, Northern Command in J&K which is 80% opposite Pakistan and 20% opp China and Eastern Command with just 20% of its troops opposite China. My understanding was complete.

China Border vs Pakistan Border : GOLD MINES FOR ARMY

Field postings were either facing Pakistan on LC, Counter Insurgency Area in J&K or facing China. These were tough, threat to life more and there were no apparent benefits seen. The safest postings were facing China. From Leh – Pithoragarh – Sikkim -Tawang – Menchuka – Kibuthu. There was nothing to do. Just fight the weather and mountains. The operational alerts were a big sham.

One Division opposite China was called ‘Picnic Division’, Nathu La was ‘Wagah Border of east’, Sikkim was heaven, Tawang the la la land, Pithoragarh holiday destination and Pangong Tso the ‘Three Idiots’ fun. Any Army man who crossed Siliguri and east, would not know about China but would definitely know about Dulabari. Posting to East on China border meant picking up imported stuff from transit points.

China encroached regularly. Each time ‘douse this fire’ attitude helped them. For every encroachment reported, there may have been at least five not reported. Army hid encroachments. Paper work was taken care of. You cannot trace back the history of any encroachment. Talking China as enemy was blasphemy. I blame Political Leadership & COAS-Army Cdrs. Entire (so called) leadership was perpetually in deep slumber. Till as late as Jul 2020, the CDS says “Everything is sorted out with China”, the ‘Wuhan Spirit’. The CDS has not grown bigger than a company commander.

Not one Army Commander or Chief, since 1963 ever suggested that we prepare for Two Front War. Except Mr George Fernandes and Gen Sundarji, no one ever took China as enemy. At no forum did China threat get projected, and if projected, ridicule was the norm. China Front was lustreless. Gave nothing. It gave dip in your career record. There was no excitement in China. Ask any Corps Commander of 15 Corps of 90’s or Army Commander of Northern Command. Leh Division was least exciting. Why? It had to compete with Divisions at Kargil, Kupwara, Uri, Rajouri and Akhnoor as also the four CIFs. Leh Division was least preferred.

Pakistan paid. It paid handsomely. While these generals pushed for three Strike Corps for plains and forced Govt to shed tens of lacs of crores, none ever suggested to completely redesign the three Armed Forces Services to take on dual threat. Pakistan was the cow to be milked. The International Boundary segment in Punjab and Rajasthan for the Armoured and Mechanized Forces and J&K Line of Control and Counter Insurgency for Infantry. These two gold mines gave promotions, ranks, awards, benefits and were broad gauge to success.

You cannot punish political leadership, but can you can you ever pardon military whose job is to guard land frontiers? The complete lowering of guard, no red flagging ever & letting complacency set in.

Fast Forward : Mindset 2020 and the Watershed

This was the mindset from the 80’s till Galwan Murders. Govt finally got a grip in 2020. Doklam falls in old mindset. Now that the mindset of military & laid back attitude towards China and the gold mines of Pakistan stand explained it’s easy to understand why Galwan Murders have changed the narrative for ever. Galwan is a watershed & Indian Govt, Indian Military, Indian Bureaucracy & Indian Foreign Ministry seems to have been shaken up from foundations. This is going to be unpalatable to Govt and Military.

Govt and Military were scared of China not because they ‘knew’ China, but because they did not know anything about China. Galwan was a WATERSHED Militarily. Army realised that :

1. It had played the bureaucratic ball and had completely ignored China.

• The Tactical Commanders e.g., Divisional Commanders and Brigade Commanders and below realised that their blindly following orders cost TWENTY MURDERS and smeared their hands in soldiers blood.

• The Higher Level Internal Military Leadership (Corps Cdr & Army Cdr) realised that they were caught flat footed and had lost trust of tactical Cdrs.

• The Higher Military Leadership (or the UNIFORMED BUREAUCRACY) in contact with bureaucracy realised that the inept, corrupt and incompetent bureaucracy will dump everything on Army and hide behind rule books.

• The political class realised that they were clueless and only Military could be trusted. Bureaucracy was a burden and reason enough to be side lined.

To Conclude

India took time, but it took three months to shake the establishment violently and get its game right. Govt has come out with most inconsistent statements, still not mustered the courage to lay yr. wise facts since 1962 to date and for no reason hides facts.

IS GALWAN A WATERSHED OR HAS POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND BUREAUCRACY DISCOVERED A NEW GOLD MINE?