Pakistan will remain significant security concern for times to come: Former CDS Gen Anil Chauhan (retd)

Former Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan (retd) warned on Saturday that Pakistan will continue to pose a significant security threat in the foreseeable future. He cautioned that Pakistan's defense agreements with other nations could lead to overconfidence and errors in judgment. Chauhan also stressed that India's relationship with China cannot solely revolve around border disputes, without addressing other issues.

In his GB Pant memorial lecture on Threats and Challenges to India's Security, he proposed Operation Sindoor, maintaining Indus Waters Treaty and practical steps to potentially alter Pakistan's behavior. He emphasized that agreements and accords Pakistan has recently signed might instill overconfidence, which could result in further miscalculations.

Chauhan highlighted the complex external threat environment faced by India, encompassing unresolved borders, cross-border terrorism, non-state actors, contested global commons, and expanding cooperation and competition in space, cyber, and maritime domains. These factors are interconnected and cannot be viewed in isolation. He discussed Pakistan's shift from conventional to sub-conventional operations, such as terrorism and cross-border activities, driven by the ideology, recruitment system, finance, training, propaganda, and state support.

Chauhan maintained that terrorism and proxy war will remain a major challenge for India, and the only means to counter them is through credible deterrence. He referenced the three cross-border operations (Uri, Balakot, and Operation Sindoor) to illustrate India's demonstration of deterrence. Chauhan endorsed recent talks between India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, but cautioned that India-China relations should not be restricted to boundary issues alone.

He noted that India and China are significant Asian powers, large economies, and civilizations that cooperate in some areas and compete in others. The future of Asia will largely depend on how India and China manage their simultaneous rise. The unresolved border issue, differing perceptions, infrastructure development, and force multipliers could lead to friction and escalation, necessitating vigilance, credible capabilities, clear agreements, and consistent adherence.