Thread by @ColSanjayPande

1/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 This is a new thread that will cover Politico-Military quagmire China finds itself in today. This thread should ideally be read after reading my thread covering 58 years of paralysis post 1962. Is has hashtag #IndoChinaCrisis2020

2/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 Since 1987, when at five years service I was posted to Arunachal, China fascinated me. The more I tried to read and find about its military-the more blanks I hit. Fascination was converted to intrigue, intrigue to SHOCK. I would discuss China with .....

3/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 .seniors, Staff Course qualified officers, Divisional Staff, Sand Models and courses, a common trait came out. WE WERE CLUELESS. Old Int reports, apology in place of Chinese ORBAT. After Arunachal had a year break and found myself in Chushul-Pangong Tso

4/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 I got deeper into understanding Indian Army mindset. Next 15 yrs took me to Kupwara (twice), Samba, Batalik & Srinagar. My understanding was complete. What China is thinking today? Question is best answered by knowing WHAT WE WERE thinking since 58 years.

5/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 Field postings were either facing Pakistan on LC, Counter Insurgency Area in J&K or facing China. The safest postings? Facing China. From Leh-Pithoragarh-Sikkim-Tawang-Menchuka-Kibuthu. Why? I blame Political Leadership, Bureaucrats & COAS-Army Cdrs. Why?

6/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 Entire vertical leadership was perpetually in deep slumber. Talking China as enemy was blasphemy. Remember ‘Wuhan Spirit’, “Everything is sorted out with China” statement of CDS? You cannot punish political leadership. Bureaucrats! Haha.. but can you.....

7/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 ... can you ever pardon military whose job is to guard land frontiers? The complete lowering of guard, no red flagging ever & letting complacency set in. One Division was called ‘Picnic Division’, Nathu La was ‘Wagah Border of east’, Sikkim was heaven...

8/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 ... Tawang the la la land, Pithoragarh holiday destination and Pangong Tso the ‘Three Idiots’ fun. China encroached regularly. Each time ‘douse this fire’ attitude helped them. For every encroachment reported, there may have been atleast five not reported

9/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 Not one Army Commander ot Chief, since 1963 ever suggest you prepare Army for Two Front War. Except Gen Sundarji, no one ever took China as enemy. At no forum did China Threat get projected. While these generals pushed fir three Strike Corps for plains..

10/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 forced Govt to shed tens of lacs of crores, none ever suggested to completely redesign the three Armed Forces to take on dual threat. Pakistan was the milch cow. The International Boundary for the Armoured and Mech and J&K Counter Insurgency fir infantry

11/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 These two gold mines gave promotions, ranks, awards, benefits and were briadguage to success. China Front was lustreless. Gave nothing. It gave dip in your career record. There was no excitement in China. Ask any Corps Commander of 15 Corps of 90’s..

12/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 or Army Commander of Northern Command. Leh Div, now Corps was least exciting. Why? It had to compete with Kargil, Kupwara, Uri, Rajouri and Akhnoor as also the four CIFs. Leh was LAST. This was the mindset from tge 80’s till #GalwanMurders Govt finally..

13/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 .. got a grip in 2020. Doklam falls in old mindset. Now that you know the mindset of military & laid back attitude towards China, the gold mines of #PakistanBogey you can now make out WHY #GalwanMurders have changed the narrative for ever. More to follow

14/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 Tweets 10, 11, 12 & 13 should be read to know what ‘old’ Gold Mine was. Galwan is a watershed & now Indian Govt, Indian Military, Indian Bureaucracy & Indian Foreign Ministry seems to have discovered a new Gold Mine. CHINA. For once, we have got it right

15/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 The first 14 tweets are most unpalatable to Govt and Military. I do not give any importance to them since I cover 38 years of mindset that I have seen and experienced. VERY IMPORTANT for serious readers to know WHY Govt and Military were scared of China.

16/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 Galwan was a WATERSHED Military. Army realised that 1. it had played the bureaucratic ball and had completely ignored China 2. The TACTICAL COMMANDERS, Brigade Commanders and below realised that their blindly following orders cost TWENTY MURDERS.

17/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 3. The Higher Level Internal Military Leadership (Div Cdr, Corps Cdr & Army Cdr) realised that they were caught flat footed and on verge of loosing trust of tactical Cdrs. 4. The Higher Military Leadership in contact with bureaucracy realised that ....

18/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 the inept, corrupt and incompetent bureaucracy will dump everything on Army and hide behind tables. 5. The political class realised that only Military could be trusted. Bureaucracy was a burden and reason enough to be sidelined. INDIA TOOK........

19/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 India took time but it took three months to shake the establishment violently and get its game right. Govt has come out with most inconsistent statements, still not mustered the courage to lay yr wise facts since 1962 to date & for no reason hides facts.

20/n #ChinaInQuagmire2020 My serious readers need to understand and digest first 20 tweets of this thread and read my earlier thread #IndoChinaCrisis2020
to get into the correct mental frame of next part I cover. WHAT IS CHINA THINKING? Is it paralysis?