This stratnewsglobal.com/chinese-troops… report apart, a short commentary on the fallout of situation along the LAC. Its a truism that every crisis brings an opportunity but the Chinese action in Ladakh has resulted in three distinct developments.
1. Whatever little hopes optimists had about India and China co-existing peacefully have vanished in thin air. All Indian decisions and actions will now be based on an assumption that China is India's principal challenge.
2. India now has a chance to reorient national security policy which will be primarily focused on combating Chinese actions. Pakistan will be a sub-set of the Chinese problem. In one stroke, China has made enemy out of 1.3 bn Indians and pushed China apologists to the margins
3. Border areas infrastructure building and border management policies will get renewed and focused attention from the government. Even the military will get many of its pending demands fulfilled. Every serious border situation in the past has demonstrated this.
For example, Post-1962: Massive expansion of the armed forces; creation of ARC, SFF. Post-1965: R&AW established; Post-Kargil: IDS, NTRO, ANC, SFC, MAC formed. Left out some obvious milestones like mechanisation of Indian Army battalions; formation of Rashtriya Rifles etc.
Non-security actions against China are also beginning to gather pace. In short, the days of a free run to China in almost all sectors of Indian economy are over. However, this effort at standing up to and combating China will need whole of government approach. No other choice
