I think the resources could be used to greater effect elsewhere. It is fine to prepare for any contingency but raising such a huge force at mammoth expense with one foe in mind is counter-intuative and a bit of a waste of resources.
Also it is giving mixed messages to the world and China. I suppose intention is to go with the velvet glove over an iron fist approach with China. But it just seems that the GoI is listening to those hawkish elements that are playing up the likelihood of an Indian-Chinese conflict.
The GoI has not forgotten how China is bullying its neighbours in SCS just by virtue of military superiority. It has been shown historically as well as analyzed by the China Study Group - GoI's advisor on all affairs related to China - that China does not hesitate to attack if it feels its military objectives are easily achievable.
So while it is indeed commendable that there is talk of peace and let us hope that this situation prevails, it is nothing but essential that we increment our logistics and military capability as China has augmented the same in the last 1 decade alone.
We are simply playing catchup. India is not initiating this, China has already done this - increment its troop carrying ability, created around a dozen military airbases in TAR. As such it becomes the duty of any responsible military and Govt of India to counterbalance this force accretion by China.
Pakistan is no more the threat it used to be. Even with existing force levels and structure, that threat is diminishing on a yearly basis, and we are more than prepared for any eventuality on the western theater.
Even the C-17's were acquired primarily keeping China in mind. That we would need absolute rapid airlift ability in case of a border skirmish with China, particularly as our road infrastructure is extremely weak and will take years to improve.
Back to 1960 both Mao and Nehru government was no matured enough to deal with each other. When PRC took Tibet all of a sudden and knocked Indians'door at the first time of the history, I knew Indian felt nervous cause you guys didn't know what the heck was CCP all about. What done is done. Although we get off on the wrong feet at the very beginning, but we still should not treat each other as hostile in the rest of our life. Grudge should be set aside and looking for commOn interest in the region and the world. I thinks most of Chinese and Indian prefer conciliatory relationship more than hostile one. We should seek a way of harmonious way as being neighbour. I can't image what will lead to when two giants swing fist at each other. Look what Europeans do, they live in peace nowadays.
This is simply a capability buildup in response to the capability built up by PLA in Tibet Autonomous Region from 2000 onwards. It does not imply that Govt of India wishes hostile relations with China. It just implies we wish to be ready and capable enough to fight if it comes to that level.