How India’s Strategic, Military and Economic Moves Put China on the Backfoot

Draped in both Indian tricolour and Tibetan flag, coffin carrying mortal remains of Nyima Tenzin from India’s elite Special Frontier Force reflected t just valour of Indian Armed Forces and ir defiant cour against unethical and unprincipled Chinese aggressions in Lakh region, but also reminded world about relationship of brorhood and solidarity that exists between Indians and Tibetans.

Four Critical Factors that Shaped Turn of Tide: First, Ecomic Move

Between last week of August and subsequent weeks of September, news of few table incidents were put in public domain. On ecomic front, on September 2, information emerged that India, after banning 59 Chinese applications earlier, including TikTok, h ditionally banned 118 more Chinese mobile applications. This new list included WeChat of Tencent and mobile payment application Alipay from Alibaba Group.

significance of this emanates from fact that India is making it clear that it would t be ‘business as usual’ with China so long as Chinese aggressions continue along LAC. India’s banning of TikTok alone h an impact of $6 billion on ByteDance and triggered a chain reaction that resulted in banning of TikTok in US while discussions for similar actions are going on in many or countries.

This was followed by China’s entire internet-based services industry getting hammered across world. With global trust on Chinese techlogy companies reaching nir, one of shining armours of Chinese ecomy, i.e. its telecom and IT-based hardware and service industry may be staring at a bleak future with major countries of world t just refusing Chinese end-products and services, but also refusing to supply China with key components and sub-systems needed for making telecom and computer hardware.

Second: India’s Silent Deployments in South China Sea and Lakh

During same period, news also emerged that India has silently deployed some of its frontline warships in South China Sea atre on a two-and-a-half-month operational deployment. While stated objective is that Indian Navy ships would take part in several bilateral exercises in that region, unstated mess was loud and clear that Chinese intransigence in Lakh region or any or area of LAC would t only be thwarted locally but would also perhaps be countered with India’s own moves in South China Sea and especially in Malacca Strait, which is China’s well kwn ‘chokepoint’. In or words, Indian establishment this time is t shy of taking face-off right at doorsteps of China’s key bastions.

Indian deployment in South China Sea was perhaps a logical conclusion after a major Indo-US naval exercise that took place in Andaman & Nicobar atre, which witnessed participation of nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Alrey, as per open-source information, India has also deployed Jaguar aircraft, armed with anti-ship Harpoon missiles, in Andaman & Nicobar atre even as India’s P8I Poseidon's continue to keep a hawk-eye watch in Indian Ocean Region and especially Malacca Strait. One also has to take into account deployment of Su-30MKIs by IAF in South India last year that are armed with Brahmos Missile and can considerably take care of Indian Ocean Region during a conflict kind of scenario.

Reports also emerged of how India matched PLA’s deployments in Xinjiang and Tibet regions, with its own deployment of subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay and supersonic cruise missile Brahmos in strategic positions along LAC to potentially keep within striking range Chinese assets deep inside Tibet and Xinjiang province. In dition, deployment of quick reaction Surface to Air Missile System Akash along LAC and menacing patrolling by newly inducted Dassault Rafales do act as major force multipliers for alrey deployed or platforms of IAF and Indian Army.

India’s Series of Tactical Missile Tests

Meanwhile, this was followed by a series of missile tests that India’s DRDO conducted which included likes of a newly developed Hypersonic Techlogy Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missile Shaurya with a range of 1000 km (and its subsequent induction), a newly developed laser-guided anti-tank missile, a new generation of Brahmos missiles with an extended range of up to 450 km, up from 299 km, test of SMART Torpedo or Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo that can give a massive boost to anti-submarine warfare capabilities of Indian Navy and testing of Pinaka rockets with vanced Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) Systems.

What would also ring bells in Chinese minds would be that of Anti-Satellite Missile (A-SAT) and K-5 SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Test) both conducted by India in t so distant past. All se tests, apart from usual validation of platforms and warhes, do also have a critical role in realm of psychological warfare or Psy-Ops.

Third: Indian Blitzkrieg to Dominate Heights along with Pangong-Tso Chushul Region

third and most important event that happened was a blitzkrieg operation executed by Indian Army, on 29th August, in a precision manner to reinforce its dominance on thirty high altitude points along entire stretch of Pangong-Tso Chushul region, which has completely put Chinese PLA on backfoot. Incidentally, this operation itself was preceded by cutting-edge planning and fortification of entire LAC to make sure that any fresh Chinese misventures anywhere in that atre can be pre-empted. Later, Indian Forces took control of six new major heights in Easter Lakh atre.

It was during operation on night of 29th August that Nyima Tenzin, of SFF, me supreme sacrifice that t only brought to fore valour of India’s elusive yet elite Special Frontier Force but also reignited tales of Tibetan struggle and ir quest for a homeland. Visuals of Tibetans in India cheering for passing Indian Army convoys or Tibetans in Lakh pledging to carry water and or essentials to Indian Army personnel on heights vindicate how much Tibetans remain committed in ir quest for redeeming ir morland.

Fourth, Tibetan Factor: Why News of Martyrdom of Nyima Tenzin May Have Rattled China

At a time when world kws China for its alleged involvement in global spre of COVID pandemic, brutal subjugation of people of Hong Kong, atrocities on Uighur Muslim mirities of Xinjiang province and constant threats of invasion to Taiwan, supreme sacrifice of Nyima Tenzin of India’s Special Frontier Force, has once again awakened world to reality of struggle of Tibetans, which somehow h almost become a forgotten story but was w getting freshly ded to long list of saga of torments by China. His sacrifice might also act as a catalyst to trigger a new wave of protests by Tibetans across world and one should also t be surprised if Tibetans and Uighurs in exile, join hands in peaceful protests across world to expose Chinese atrocities since both have a common tale to narrate.

Incidentally, barely a few days back, London witnessed a protest march organised in solidarity with victims of Chinese atrocities in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong region. Similar protests were recently also witnessed outside Chinese consulate in Toronto, Cana. Recent reports that emerged of how China has created labour camps and forced 5 lakh able-bodied Tibetans to work in factories both inside and outside Tibet, is also a vindication of discomfort that China still has about possibility of Tibetan uprisings even as it continues to subjugate and traumatise Uighurs of Xinjiang province. One wonders if Chinese plan to create labour camps for half a million Tibetans, from earlier this year, was in sync with ir plot to create disturbances along LAC while attempting to make sure that any escalation of conflict with India along LAC does t le to any disturbance or uprising in Tibet region.

Have se events altered threshold of India’s response mechanism towards China?

In first place, from time of Galwan clash in middle of June to reinforcing of dominance in heights along Pangong-Tso Chushul region on 29th of August, one critical thing that India has successfully accomplished is to completely nullify ‘element of surprise’ that China initially h gained by deceit, wherein in name of a military exercise, Chinese PLA h gared troops in Tibet and n moved those deployments towards LAC in Lakh region. Today, however, given level of mirror deployment and fortification that

India has done along entire stretch of LAC, it is well-nigh impossible for China to spring any surprise anymore.

Even though contentious issues in Pangong Tso area and Depsang Valley do exist, China has for sure been taken aback by of determined response that India has initiated, which since Doklam crisis has been a hallmark of India’s assertive approach and a distinctive contrast to pacifist approach of past.

Is China Rey for Long Haul in Gruelling Winters of Lakh?

With winters drawing near and window of operation closing fast for Chinese, one wonders how Chinese would respond next and if at all y are prepared for long haul in harsh winter of that terrain where Indians are better placed in terms of acclimatisation. If Chinese h planned to unilaterally alter status quo and force India to negotiate on its terms on various issues, before winters would set in, n certainly it has t happened that way.

resolve showed by India’s political establishment, cutting-edge logistical operations executed by Indian Armed Forces to make sure that Indian soldiers on ground, or high altitudes, are assured of all supplies through whole phase of ensuing harsh winter, has t only taken Chinese aback but has also me m apparently desperate. PM Modi’s assertive statement ‘ of Expansionism is over’ that he me in Lakh is a clear indication that India has fundamentally changed in its approach and would t concede to Chinese belligerence anymore.

Breaking Myth of Indispensability of Chinese Supplies for India’s Ecomic Growth

banning of 118 mobile applications also vindicates that India’s initial banning of 59 Chinese applications was t a one-time action but a continuous process. Along with onslaught on China’s apps, India also banned use of Chinese equipment in power sector and debarred Chinese companies from bidding in highway projects. This apart, scrapping of railway tenders, and 4G tender of BSNL that h presence of Chinese bidders are proof eugh of how India is determined to squeeze Chinese presence in big-ticket Indian projects.

Incidentally, India was also among first countries which started a concerted effort towards a decoupling of its ecomy and supply chain, from Chinese involvement t just in realm of finished products but components as well. While Chinese information warfare machinery has often tried to push narrative that China is indispensable for smooth functioning of Indian ecomy, reality, on contrary, has been quite different. In last few months, as India systematically started a process of decoupling of its ecomy, it has t only opened more avenues of opportunities for Indian companies to perform better but is also helping India to become more resilient in realm of creating a seamless domestic supply chain in dition to giving a renewed push for indigenization.

Global Decoupling Effect on Chinese Ecomy

Incidentally, Beijing’s new strategy of ‘dual circulation’ wherein it plans to give equal importance to domestic ecomy is indicative eugh that decoupling efforts of major ecomies to immune mselves from Chinese ecomy are w a reality and that it is going to hurt China’s export-driven ecomy dearly. Along with banning and blacklisting of Chinese techlogy companies happening in major ecomies of world, one can also witness beeline that companies are making to shift ir manufacturing base from China to elsewhere. While major Taiwanese and Korean companies have alrey started shifting, with some making major investments in India, Japan has included India and Banglesh among destinations where Japanese companies would be eligible for subsidy in case y shift ir production base to, from China.

Amidst shrinking landscape of its global ecomic landscape, it would be interesting to see for how long China can continue with its hegemonic approach using ecomy as a weapon. Incidentally, one must t forget that just like banning of Chinese mobile applications, it was India which pioneered decoupling process much before ors initiated it.

Why India is More than a Match for China w

For all propaganda carried out by Chinese media, on a daily basis, to portray so-called invincibility (sic) of Chinese Armed Forces, in reality China’s blow-hot-blow-cold approach in Lakh, and India’s defiant, nuanced and yet assertive counter-measures for long haul game, proved that China is finally meeting its match in Asia. Elsewhere, in today’s era, China could simply steamroll over any dispute with ar country through transgressions, followed by playing of ‘victim game’ (in spite of being aggressor) and upping ante on psychological operations to unleash a fear psychosis on versary and n coercing it to agree to Chinese terms and conditions for negotiations. For years, it worked for China including its refusal to accept verdict of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on Law of Sea) on South China Sea. But in case of India, be it in Doklam or be it in case of Lakh, China has been put on backfoot by India on more than one occasion.

While China’s military strength certainly should t be underestimated, it is one thing to have giant showpiece of an army but quite ar to have a battle-hardened one which kws how to protect its turf and improvise as per situation. Devoid of hype, Indian Armed Forces and its specialised wings have slowly cast net far and wide. With omius Himalayan winters setting in, one still wonders what Chinese wanted to accomplish and what y would attempt next given limited options in front of m.

Is China, inste of India, Staring at a Two-Front War?

While possibility of a major flare-up can still t be ruled out, Chinese kw it all too well that Indians have an vant of being defenders in those harsh terrains and in such verse wear conditions. Of course one has to d to it battle-hardened minds and bodies of Indian soldiers vis-à-vis China Army which did t fight a war in last 40 years and still find it difficult to shake off memories of huge casualties y suffered in hands of Vietnam back in 1979.

While China might also be conniving with Pakistan to make it a possible two frontal assault on India, one wonders if China has taken into account what India’s deployment in South China Sea and Indian Ocean region, in tandem with US deployments, as well as maritime collaborations of QU members essentially means. If China opens a front in Lakh region, can South China Sea remain tranquil? That is for China to ponder as to wher its misventures in Lakh may end up with its forces facing a two-frontal conflict, one in Lakh and or in South China Sea in dition to a blocke of Malacca Strait through which 80% of Chinese oil imports pass. Can China afford that? Did China plan for it? For far too long China bulldozed countries individually in silos, one at a time, while keeping rest entangled in ecomic web. But more perhaps. From Taiwan to Japan, from US to Australia, from India to EU, world after a long time is speaking and acting in unison.

Disclaimer: author of this article, Pathikrit Payne is a New Delhi based Geopolitical Analyst. views and opinions expressed within article are personal opinions of author. facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing do t reflect views of Republic TV/ Republic World/ ARG Outlier Media Pvt. Ltd.