Manoj Ambat's Blog dealing with Defence, Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs and Politics

Indian Navy's western fleet ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Indian Navy) (I am back again after two days break for the Vijayadhashami Poojas. For my first blog, I have decided to deal with India's greatest security challenge, China) China, the enigma of the modern age. No single word can explain this unique power, be it an economic miracle or a regional bully. China has been a success story with remarkable advances and growth in the economic sector which has transformed a communist country to an economic power house. But China is a country of paradox. On one side, China seeks to develop cooperation economically with it's neighbours but on the other hand it seeks to take the line of confrontation with aggressive military postures that has put it's neighbors at unease.    For India the developments is particularly worrying. India has a long running territorial dispute with China which has seen in recent times to flare up. Three unrelated events p

Among China’s relations with Asian neighbors, its ties with the countries in South Asia are generally considered to be the weakest. Now, with Sino-Japan tensions over the East China Sea and conflict with many Southeast Asian countries over the South China Sea, the role of South Asian countries has become more prominent. South Asia is now a focus in China’s regional strategy, as shown by President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to the area. When it comes to South Asia, people think of India and Pakistan first. China has an “all weather friendship” with Pakistan but an ambivalent, often testy relationship with India. But the future is sometimes different from both the past and the present. Moving forward,  which country is more important for China? Even without a clear answer, just puzzling through this question can help make many issues clear. In fact, we only to need to answer two questions to know whether India or Pakistan is more important for China. First, which one is a major

Image credits- PMO, India Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting an India that for the first time in 25 years has given a  clear mandate to a single party . He is meeting with a prime minister, Narendra Modi, who is known both for his hardline nationalist stance on foreign policy issues and a geo-economic sagacity. Moreover Modi’s government is also being  actively courted by Shinzo Abe’s Japan  at a time when the new normal for Sino-Japanese ties involves dangerous maneuvers in disputed East Asian waters. As such, the Chinese side is clearly keen to position itself as an alternative capital and economic partner for an India looking to boost industrial growth and employment.  Modi’s recent visit to Japan  has created in China concern that an investment relationship between India and Japan might lead to a full-blown “democratic” alliance in the waters of the Indo-Pacific. India, though keen to develop its commercial partnerships in East Asia, will remain committed to freedom o

Chinese Military ( Image Credits- Wikimedia Commons/ United States DOD) The recent Shangri-la meeting in Singapore saw some sharp exchanges between Chinese and other participants. Beijing’s deployment of an oil rig protected by more than 80 naval vessels in the South China Sea four days after President Barack Obama’s “reassurance trip” to China’s East Asian neighbors in April 2014 was widely seen as a deliberate and calculated provocation. Yet China’s move fits a pattern of advancing territorial claims on its periphery through coercion, intimidation, and the threat of force through what may be called “paramilitary operations short of war” (POSOW). China’s drilling rig is also a political statement of Beijing’s resolve and capability to control and exploit the South China Sea and deny it to others – and this message is meant as much for Washington as for Tokyo, Hanoi, Manila, Jakarta, and New Delhi. While exploring oil in the disputed waters, the $1 billion oil rig is supposedly

When you talk about a security in Asia, the first name that one consider is the United States. Th Americans has been the predominant power in Asia.  The corner stone of the American power projection is it's network of time tested allies and the security alliance with them. Such alliance has ensured peace in Asia for many decades. But it is this alliance that is now challenged by the rise of China. The Chinese it seems are getting ready to take on the United States and challenge their position of dominance in Asia. But such policies is met by the United States by re positioning major defence assets to Asia and the Pacific. America also has many bases in Asia and Indian ocean by which they can project power. Their relationship with India is also growing with years of careful nurture that ensures the containment of China should a circumstance arise.  When we talk about the 21'st century, the first thing that comes to our mind is China. China which liberalized it's ec

India-China Border ( Image credits- Indian Express) Reacting strongly to reports that China has in its recent map shown Arunachal Pradesh as its territory, India on Saturday said "cartographic depiction" does not change reality on the ground and asserted that Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of the country. Asked about recent China maps which show disputed areas in Arunachal Pradesh and South China Sea as its own, the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said, "The cartographic depictions do not change the reality on the ground. "The fact that Arunachal Pradesh is integral and inalienable part of India has been conveyed to Chinese authority at several occasions including at the very highest level."  He also indicated that this may be raised by the Indian delegation, headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari, currently in China to participate in an event to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Panchsheel or Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.