In an exclusive interview with Firstpost Managing Editor Palki Sharma at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue in New Delhi, Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi addressed a range of pressing topics including the challenges posed by China at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and the fragile peace in Manipur, which has been unstable for over a year. The General also focussed on issues such as the war in Lebanon and India’s quest for self-reliance in defence.
General Dwivedi offered a five Cs formula to deal with China’s growing assertions in different fields. He said there was a need to “compete, cooperate, coexist, confront and contest” with China to deal with the country’s policies.
On India-China border situation
During the curtain raiser of the Chanakya Defence Dialogue on Tuesday, General Dwivedi stated, “As far as China is concerned, it has been intriguing our minds for quite some time. With China, you have to compete, cooperate, coexist, confront and contest.”
He said, “The positive signal is coming from the diplomatic side, but what we need to understand is that the diplomatic side gives options and possibilities. However, when it comes to execution on the ground, it is dependent on the military commanders on both sides to take decisions.”
General Dwivedi described the India-China border situation as “stable”. But he also said that the situation “is not normal and it’s sensitive”.
“We want the situation that was before April 2020 to be restored. Until that time, the situation will remain sensitive, and we are prepared for any kind of contingency. The trust has become the biggest casualty,” he said.
He said, “We are wanting that the situation that was there pre-April 2020 should be restored back. Everything we can think of along the northern front is on the table. It includes Depsang and Demchok.”
When asked whether model villages and border infrastructure would help counter Chinese expansionism, the General replied, “State governments have been empowered now to put in resources, and this is the time where the Army, the state governments, and supervision by the central government, all three are coming together. The model villages which are coming together now – they will be much better.”
On self-reliance in defence
General Dwivedi advocated for a cautious approach regarding the maintenance of the defence supply chain. “Supply chain interruption and interception are something we have to be very watchful of. We have to have various levels of inspection at both the technological and manual levels. More than 85?per cent of the requisitions we are carrying out will be Made-in-India.”
On Lebanon pager attacks
Commenting on the Lebanon pager attacks, General Dwivedi noted, “The war does not start the day you start fighting. It starts the day you start planning.”
On Manipur
Regarding the volatile situation in Manipur, he said, “It has become a battle of narratives. The situation may be stable today, but it is tense.”
You can catch the full interview on Firstpost here:
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Indian Army chief gives 5C formula to deal with China | Firstpost Exclusive
