Can't be complacent

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat (pictured) has sounded the possibility of a two-front war — with China on the one hand and Pakistan on the other. Pakistan has been waiting for China to take an aggressive stand against India. It was much disappointed with the India-China disengagement on the Doklam stand-off. 

Pakistan is also piqued by the declaration of terrorism emanating from its soil, at the BRICS summit. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman should not only give the Indian Army a free hand to ward off  threat from enemy countries but also induct weapons with advanced technology into the army. 

Rawat’s caution suggests that the country cannot become complacent just because India and China agreed to pull back their armies. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has remained a silent spectator. One of the permanent members in the UNSC is hostile to India. Therefore, it is futile to expect that country to take an initiative to avoid a war-like situation.

India needs to enlist the support of other countries hostile to China. That country has more enemies than friends. Japan, Vietnam and the US would not want China to establish its hegemony in the world.

K V Seetharamaiah   New Delhi

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