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Might of the Dragon Ramesh Phadke picks on issues that concern armies the world over. He points out how China has learnt a lesson about modern warfare from the Iraq war and has halved its military strength to concentrate on technical modernisation. China’s Power
Projection
In spite of these initiatives, China’s growing economy and its increasing role as a global power player are pertinent issues of concern for India. Air Commodore Ramesh Phadke’s book looks at the security dimension in detail. It is a well-researched reading of China’s Power Projections, both at the regional and global levels. Phadke starts with a close look at what he dubs the China’s Grand Strategy. This, his first chapter, attempts to offer a rather large historical overview. His perspective takes the accepted western reading of China as a great power that has always sought to keep the peripheral countries under its control. He sees the Communist strategy of incorporating the provinces of Xinjiang and Tibet as a continuation of this strategy. However his reading of China’s pragmatism in determining its foreign relations today is certainly accurate. The desire of China to emerge as a regional power, and subsequently, as a country to be reckoned with globally is also true. The book provides interesting facts about China’s nuclear assets, contemporary military strategy, its expansion and modernisation. It delves into the historical and organisational structure of each arm of the military. There is an excellent chapter on the importance that China is today attaching to Research and Development. Phadke picks on issues that concern armies the world over. He points out how China has learnt a lesson about modern warfare from the Iraq war and has today halved its military strength to concentrate on technical modernisation. Today, People’s Liberation Army (PLA ) officers are better educated and technologically competent. He says, "The emphasis today is on selective modernisation of the PLA." Similarly, the navy too has inducted nuclear powered submarines, ostensibly to guard its coasts. However, Phadke quotes western analysts to point out that none of China’s acquisitions are enough for it to really project itself as a global military power. Finally, Phadke touches upon how India needs to define its interests in relation to China’s power projections in the region. He feels that "China wants to eliminate or weaken any major rival …but that does not necessarily mean that it would readily resort to use of military force." The important point that the author makes here, based on Chinese sources, is how China wants to make as many friends as possible while differentiating its approach to each country, depending on their size and power. In this light, China’s approach to India has changed since it started emerging as a growing economy in its own right and also because of the new overtures being made to India by some American policy-makers, who see India as a potential force that can check China’s growing regional clout. India’s own regional problems with Pakistan and Bangladesh and, now, Nepal have added to its apprehensions of China’s role in the region. India’s neighbouring countries have cordial and close economic and military ties with China. And, China’s role in the nuclearisation of Pakistan is well documented. The message then is that
India must not let down its guard where China is concerned. We, like
China, must follow a pragmatic policy by building good relations across
the board but we must also ensure that our defence forces should be able
to handle a China that may turn expansionist in the future. We must also
improve our ties with our South Asian neighbours to minimise the impact
of Chinese influence. While one may not entirely agree with Phadke about
the threat perceptions posed by China, the book provides a good
background to China’s military might. |
China and India have
come a long way in terms of normalising relations since the 1962 war.
Full diplomatic ties were reestablished in 1976, and since then, we have
seen several high-level visits. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to
China in 1988 was a landmark visit. He met Deng Xiaoping and both agreed
to not allow the border dispute to stand in the way of improving
relations between both countries. Today these two countries have
initiated several track II initiatives such as intellectual forums and
other cultural activities. Trade between them has also rocketed and
recently crossed the $ 13 billion mark.