Fears of Sino-Indian war worry West as India-Pak issue takes a back seat
Until recently, U.S. officials handling South Asia policy had focused the bulk of their conflict management resources on preparing for a potential India-Pakistan conflict, says a study. However, they are shifting their attention to the growing potential for an India-China military crisis, writes Riyaz Wani
The increasing frequency of India-China border intrusions and clashes have forced the US to shift its attention away from India-Pakistan tension to the growing potential for an India-China conflict, Center for a New American Security has said in its latest report.
“Until recently, U.S. officials handling South Asia policy have focused the bulk of their conflict management resources and planning on preparing for a potential India-Pakistan conflict,” the report authored by senior security experts Lisa Curtis and Derek Grossman says. “However, they are shifting their attention to the growing potential for an India-China military crisis and will benefit from additional resources as part of the Indo-Pacific strategy to address the China challenge more broadly.”
What is more, the report recommends that the US should ask Pakistan to stay neutral in the event of a China-India conflict.
“Message Pakistan—and enlist help from Pakistan’s other important partners to convey similar points— about the need to stay neutral in the event of a potential future India-China border flare-up,” the report says.
It also urges the US to offer India the sophisticated military technology it requires to defend its borders and initiate co-production and co-development of military equipment in addition to assisting India in strengthening its maritime and naval capacity.
The report also advocates joint intelligence reviews with India to align assessments of Chinese plans and intentions along the LAC and enhance coordination with Indian officials “on contingency planning in the event of a future India- China conflict.”
Though the report acknowledges that Beijing’s initial motivation for launching the Galwan Valley attacks remains unclear, as does its long-term strategy for the region, it indicates that China is doing this to contain India.
“Indian officials believe China is trying to contain India by forcing it to divert more resources into defending simultaneously both its western border with Pakistan and eastern flank with China and by weakening its willingness and ability to challenge Chinese ambitions to dominate the region,” the report explains. “Developments along the LAC in 2020 brought clarity to India’s strategic approach toward China, meaning India’s views of the China challenge are starting to converge with those of the United States.”
