India no longer considers Pakistan ‘principal enemy’

[fatman17]

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

India no longer considers Pakistan ‘principal enemy’

* ‘Indian defence analysts concerned about nuclear submarine base being built by China in South China Sea’

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: “After decades of considering Pakistan their principal enemy, Indian defence officials are beginning to see China as a more serious long-term threat, and they don’t want to be caught unprepared again. Washington is embracing India as a rising power that can be a valuable ally to stand with this country, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia in defence of democracy in South and East Asia,” according to a report published here.

James T. Hackett writes in the Washington Times on Thursday that Indian defence analysts are concerned about the huge nuclear submarine base being built by China on Hainan Island in the South China Sea and Beijing’s plan to build up to five ballistic missile-firing submarines. Consequently, India is building its own ballistic missile-firing submarine and in February carried out a successful test launch of a K-15 missile from an underwater platform. The plan reportedly is to develop a version of the Agni family of solid-fuel missiles to be carried on Indian submarines.

New Delhi also is working on ballistic missile defences. In 2006, an Indian interceptor destroyed a target missile outside the atmosphere and last December a shorter-range interceptor stopped a missile inside the atmosphere. This two-stage missile defence is undergoing further testing, but components could be ready for deployment as soon as 2010. On a trip to New Delhi in February, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the United States and India are studying the possibility of a joint missile defence system.

The combining of US and Indian nuclear deterrents, together with missile defences in Alaska, California, India, Japan and on ships in the Pacific, will greatly diminish the ability of China or any other country to use nuclear missiles to pose a threat, according to Hackett.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Fatman:

I don't know if you remember, but there was a thread you started based on an article dated 2006, that talked about the Pakistan Army's modernization and future plans. The PA officer quoted in that interview quite clearly mentioned that the military now saw terrorism as a greater threat than India.

Good to see the Indians joining the boat as well, especially on the backs of the Composite Dialog.

 

[gpit]

Now who is its principal enemy?

If it is China, then good luck!

 

[Flintlock]

Now who is its principal enemy?

If it is China, then good luck!

Do you know the first thing about Indian foreign policy?

 

[UnitedPak]

Do you know the first thing about Indian foreign policy?

Please share your wisdom. Imagine how simple it would be to answer questions with even vaguer questions.
But you are obviously not imagining.

 

[cactuslily58]

United pak,

Two events that served as a wake up call to India were the 1962 debacle against the Chinese & the presence of the 7th Fleet in the Bay Of Bengal in 1971.

Both events showed how vulnerable the nation was ( then).It would be correct to surmise therefore the "never again' was the dictum followed by those in high places. Irr respective of the political party in power, the focus & thrust never changed.

Subsequently, the collapse of USSR & economic considerations coupled with emergence of Asia as the hub of world activity & economy showed who the principal contenders are in this part of the world were.

lastly, there is the un ending blow hot / cold border issue with China who does not accept the borders the British left India & China with.

Hope this explanation meets ur requirement.

 

[fatman17]

Fatman:

I don't know if you remember, but there was a thread you started based on an article dated 2006, that talked about the Pakistan Army's modernization and future plans. The PA officer quoted in that interview quite clearly mentioned that the military now saw terrorism as a greater threat than India.

Good to see the Indians joining the boat as well, especially on the backs of the Composite Dialog.

AM-correct-these days some serving officers in the PA who r my neighbours are also saying that CI is top of the mind issue with the top brass. they want the PA to get this capability on a fast track.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

For quite some time, Pakistan was not taken to be the Principal adversary.

It was also not officially mentioned as to who was the real threat, till George Fernandez, the then Defence Minister, openly declared that it was China.

 

[Flintlock]

Please share your wisdom. Imagine how simple it would be to answer questions with even vaguer questions.
But you are obviously not imagining.

India doesn't consider China as its enemy. It considers China a partner and is working hard to improve relations between the two countries.

 

[Mohammed Azizuddin]

India doesn't consider China as its enemy. It considers China a partner and is working hard to improve relations between the two countries.

But the big problem is that China does not want to be India's Partner, but it rather sees India as a rival...with which it will have to compete in the future.

Speaking about Pakistan being India's enemy, its only a general mindset which is slowly fading....other than that I cannot see any league in which both countries can be compared, India and Pakistan are today are totally in different leagues altogether!!!

 

[Awesome]

Pakistan is the principal enemy. China is a secondary enemy.

In Risk Management you plan for Risks that would happen with a lot more certainty than the risks that wont. Agreed the Risk that a war with China would be catastrophic for India but you don't plan out for a low probability incident than a high probability incident in the reverse priority order.

So why is India saying so? India wants to procure more weapons and Pakistan isn't a good enough justification for it.

 

[vish]

There was a time in post-independent Indian history wherein we (our leaders and populace in general) never saw India rising beyond the subcontinent and at par with China. 1962 created an inferiority complex within the Indian establishment and we confined ourselves as such.

Our "military interactions" with Pakistan convinced us of our capability to deal with that threat; once that happened, Pakistan slipped in our threat perception. This shift took place around the mid-1990s. Mind you, Kargil was never a threat to India; the conclusion was foregone but it did surprise us though. Further, your Pakistan's response to Pokhran II was factored in and was foregone too. But we were still unable to stand up to China.

All this has changed within the past two decades. With our current economy and military capability we can stand up to China. This is exactly what worries the PRC; they are hesitant to accept an India beyond the subcontinent.

Note that international power politics is not always about military might or war; it is also about international alliances, trust, economy, diplomacy, etc.

The Indo-China game is just beginning. Both sides pursue each other diplomatically to ensure economic gains through trade, but leave no opportunity for arm-twisting.

China’s advantages: It has us surrounded by virtue of pseudo-alliances.

India’s advantages: Western support and relatively better relations with China’s peripheral concerns (Japan, Vietnam, and ASEAN).

 

[cactuslily58]

Pakistan is the principal enemy. China is a secondary enemy.

In Risk Management you plan for Risks that would happen with a lot more certainty than the risks that wont. Agreed the Risk that a war with China would be catastrophic for India but you don't plan out for a low probability incident than a high probability incident in the reverse priority order.

So why is India saying so? India wants to procure more weapons and Pakistan isn't a good enough justification for it.

Firstly if India ( or any other country for that matter) wants to procure weapons it needs no justification. Every sovereign nation has a right to guage it near and future threats & plan accordingly.

Secondly, lets just say that if India prepares itself with China in mind, it automatically caters for other players / contenders in Asia & its area of interest ?

 

[Awesome]

Firstly if India ( or any other country for that matter) wants to procure weapons it needs no justification. Every sovereign nation has a right to guage it near and future threats & plan accordingly.

Secondly, lets just say that if India prepares itself with China in mind, it automatically caters for other players / contenders in Asia & its area of interest ?

Of course it does. If you know I'm sitting and sharpening a knife to stab you, would you still hang around with me?

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Of course it does. If you know I'm sitting and sharpening a knife to stab you, would you still hang around with me?

In in context to the post you are replying to.

I sure would hang around with you while you sharpen your knife. I am a black belt and would just like to show you a trick or two!

Why are you not in Kashmir with the Junoon chaps?