Lankan Ranger
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India’s Challenges & It's Military Modernization
This subject has very large implications for the strategic balance in Asia & India Ocean.
Key points:
1. Major Indian military challenges & strategies
A. “Cold start” (near-zero mobilization time) punitive limited ground offensive into Pakistan. Why a “cold start”? Fear of Pakistan nuclear missile attack into Indian mobilization bases.
B. Defense of India’s extreme northeast against a surprise Chinese ground attack from Tibet (much of the India-China border remains in dispute). Challenges: lack of strategic warning, logistics support/reinforcement through the narrow “chicken neck” near Nepal.
C. Indian naval campaign in Bay of Bengal against Chinese naval forces, which might in the future have access to naval bases in Myanmar, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka.
D. Domestic Maoist insurgency which Indian police may not be able to contain.
E. Strategic nuclear balance between Pakistan & India could become unstable due to increased warhead count on both sides, increased missile quantity and accuracy, better ISR, and arrival of missile defenses.
2. Problems with Indian military modernization
A. India’s defense industry is no better.
B. Corruption in military acquisition programs acquisition system is a major problem.
C. Thinking seems stuck in the 1985 Air Land Battle concept, with little consideration given to indirect strategies, irregular warfare, hybrid techniques, cyber/electronic attack.
3. Bottom line: Indian military modernization is a big story in Asia.
India is far behind China both in capacity and its modernization effort. India needs deep bureaucratic reform before it will be able to adequately address the challenges and implement the strategies described in point 1.
This subject has very large implications for the strategic balance in Asia & India Ocean.
Key points:
1. Major Indian military challenges & strategies
A. “Cold start” (near-zero mobilization time) punitive limited ground offensive into Pakistan. Why a “cold start”? Fear of Pakistan nuclear missile attack into Indian mobilization bases.
B. Defense of India’s extreme northeast against a surprise Chinese ground attack from Tibet (much of the India-China border remains in dispute). Challenges: lack of strategic warning, logistics support/reinforcement through the narrow “chicken neck” near Nepal.
C. Indian naval campaign in Bay of Bengal against Chinese naval forces, which might in the future have access to naval bases in Myanmar, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka.
D. Domestic Maoist insurgency which Indian police may not be able to contain.
E. Strategic nuclear balance between Pakistan & India could become unstable due to increased warhead count on both sides, increased missile quantity and accuracy, better ISR, and arrival of missile defenses.
2. Problems with Indian military modernization
A. India’s defense industry is no better.
B. Corruption in military acquisition programs acquisition system is a major problem.
C. Thinking seems stuck in the 1985 Air Land Battle concept, with little consideration given to indirect strategies, irregular warfare, hybrid techniques, cyber/electronic attack.
3. Bottom line: Indian military modernization is a big story in Asia.
India is far behind China both in capacity and its modernization effort. India needs deep bureaucratic reform before it will be able to adequately address the challenges and implement the strategies described in point 1.
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