A day after New Delhi confirmed the start of the disengagement process in Pangong Tso as a first step towards resolving the nine-month military standoff in Ladakh, Army Chief General MM Naravane warned against recent moves by Beijing, including along the Line of Royal Control, that “They have created an atmosphere of confrontation and mutual mistrust.”
Addressing the joint annual Assam Rifles and United Services Institution seminar – excerpts from Friday’s keynote address were made available to the press – General Naravane said: “China’s growing footprints in the Indian neighborhood and its attempts to unilaterally altering the status quo along our disputed borders have created an atmosphere of confrontation and mutual mistrust ”.
He said the regional security environment is “characterized by Chinese belligerence in the Indo-Pacific, its hostility towards weaker nations and its relentless drive to create regional dependencies through initiatives such as the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative).” The resulting Sino-American rivalry has created regional instability and imbalances. “
Speaking at the seminar on ‘The evolution of security challenges in the Northeast and the way forward’, the Army chief stressed: “Growth and development are closely linked to the security environment. Nowhere has this link been deeper than in the Northeast region. “
Calling it the center of gravity for subregional connectivity and the launching pad for Act East initiatives, he said the region, while endowed with natural resources, is “lagging behind in terms of growth and development.”
“Protracted insurgencies, inherited problems that were further accentuated after Partition, and inefficient integration with the rest of India explain much of what the region is facing today,” he said.
“The impact of the pandemic and the ongoing security dynamics across our borders have caused significant changes in the geostrategic structure. It is in this evolving environment that a review and renewed focus on Northeast India is appropriate, ”he said.
On the neighborhood, the army chief said: “Nepal, our long-term traditional partner, which has witnessed heavy Chinese investment, is going through a period of political volatility. While Bhutan has been cautious in its approach, we have seen an upturn in our relations with Bangladesh. “
“India is celebrating Swarnim Vijay Varsh to commemorate its splendid victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The sight of the Bangladesh Three Services Contingent marching through Rajpath on Republic Day bodes well for our relations. future, although the growing radicalization of society remains a great concern. “
He said that “the ongoing dynamics in these neighboring countries directly impacts the security environment in Northeast India. A host of initiatives are already underway to leverage military diplomacy with our Eastern Command playing the springboard to foster stronger bilateral relations. “
Regional and internal connectivity, he said, is closely related to security and is critical to unlocking the potential of the Northeast and balancing the influence of China. “By failing to deliver on promises, the Delivery Deficit has plagued our efforts to improve regional connectivity. The Kaladan Multimodal Transportation Project and the Trilateral Highway have suffered cost overruns and cost overruns. “
“On the domestic front too, infrastructure development has been marred by numerous challenges. Multi-agency involvement and varied funding sources, along with environmental factors, remain the main obstacles. There is a need for a higher body to coordinate the efforts of multiple agencies, ”he said.
Noting an “encouraging improvement” in the internal security situation in the region, General Naravane said that Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and much of Assam are virtually insurgency-free. Levels of violence have also dropped significantly over the years. “While the relentless operations of the security forces and proactive government policies have laid the foundation, the favorable external environment with Myanmar and Bangladesh has hit the roots of insurgent organizations.”
He said a series of operations under Operation Sunrise with the Myanmar Army has led to increased cooperation and synergy among soldiers on the ground with “reasonable operational dividends.”
“The situation in most areas has progressed towards conflict resolution” and, consequently, the Army “has also undertaken the transition from the CI (Counterinsurgency) approach to that of Integrated CI.”
“The force calibration with the gradual disconnection of CI / CT operations has resulted in a greater focus on the northern borders and the IMB,” he said. IMB is the Indo-Myanmar border and CT is the counter-terrorism operations.
He said that “force calibration has already resulted in the disengagement of 14 infantry battalions” and two divisional headquarters that were part of the CI network previously, “now focusing solely on their operational role throughout the northern borders “. Calling it a “significant achievement,” he noted that operational responsibility for those areas has now been assumed by Assam Rifles.
To unleash the potential of the Northeast, he said there is “a need to establish an organization that can synergize the coordination of multiple agencies and optimize resources and effort. The Realigned Strategy for the Northeast proposes a strong and effective NE Integrated Security Council. With the Minister of State for the Home as president at the top level, the organization seeks to galvanize the efforts of all stakeholders, which includes both policy makers and authorities responsible for executing these policies.
“The Army, with its extensive presence in the region, is ideal to play the role of coordinator. The organization will address operational and strategic issues and ensure a coordinated response from multiple fronts at the regional level, ”he said.
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