China tried to change the status quo in eastern Ladakh by the use of disruptive technologies without using force, and thought that India as a nation would “succumb” to the pressure due to its technological advantage but, “We stood firm on the northern borders and proved that we will not get pushed,” Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat said on Thursday.
“They [China] feel they have arrived. They have superior Armed Forces because of the technological advantage that they have. They have been able to create disruptive technologies which can paralyse systems of the adversaries. So they believe that by some shove and push they can compel nations to give into their demands,” Gen. Rawat said, speaking at the ongoing Raisina Dialogue summit, jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation. “In whatever we have achieved by standing firm, in preventing a change of status quo , we have been able to gather world support.”
“The international community has come to our support and said, yes, there is an international order which every nation must follow,” Gen. Rawat said, adding, “That’s what we have been able to achieve, and we are trying to gather support from other nations.”
Asked about the situation of the Uyghurs in the Xinjiang province of China, Gen. Rawat said, “In India, it’s believed that every community, irrespective of the religion that they follow, their caste, creed and colour of the skin, everybody has equal rights. As far as humanity is concerned the world must stand together in ensuring that people get their human rights. It’s a call the international community has to take.”
Talking of development of disruptive technologies, Gen. Rawat said, “Nations which have developed disruptive technologies feel that they will be able to impose their will on other nations by saying that if they [other nations] don’t come to my terms, I have other means of bringing you into conflict by unconventional means.”
In the context of the Ladakh stand-off, he said, “Nations are trying to become assertive... This is what China attempted to say — it’s my way or no way...Such nature of undeclared war will place dilemma in the minds of decision makers [on] whether or not to resort to kinetic force and thus be labelled as aggressor...”
Japan’s Chief of General Staff General Yamazaki said that China was attempting to unilaterally change the international order. He added that it was necessary to cooperate with other countries to counter such “grey zone tactics”.
Chief of the Defence Force, Australia, Gen. Angus Campbell said grey zone tactics were a way to nibble away at territory. Noting that this was seen in the South China Sea, he said it was very challenging to respond without breaching the line that led to open conflict. On the tensions in the Taiwan strait, he said, “Conflict over the island of Taiwan will be a disaster for the people of the region and something we all must work to avoid.”
