NEW DELHI – Arguing for a greater role of military diplomacy to bringnormalcy in relations with Pakistan, Lt Gen Surinder Singh, the GeneralOfficer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, said on Wednesday that atwo-front war is not a “smart idea”.
Army chief Bipin Rawat had said in June 2017 that the Indian Army was readyfor a “two-and-a-half-front war”.
Speaking on the concluding day of a seminar on “Geo-strategicmanifestations in Pakistan and Implications for India” at Panjab Universityhere, Lt Gen Singh said India needed to improve relations with China inorder to gain the best possible leverage over Pakistan.
“It will also help us secure one side of the border. People keep talkingabout a two-front war. It is never a good idea, never a smart idea to fighta two-front war,” he said. He added that there were various options,including re-negotiating some treaties, to bring about some pressure onPakistan.
“In Pakistan, military’s writ runs. Therefore, sooner or later, we have totalk to their military. I am convinced that on our side also, militarydiplomacy plays a very important role.
Therefore, there has to be a greater role to military diplomacy so that themilitaries of the two nations can work with each other and bring aboutgreater confidence in each other and we can go forward,” he said.
Referring to China, the Army commander said the relations were manageable.“There is not that sort of enmity, from people to people or from entirepolity on one side and the polity on the other side.
There are differences on demarcation of borders. I think this can be workedout. If we can improve our relations with China, we can develop the bestpossible leverage with Pakistan in times to come,” Lt Gen Singh added.“Working with China will secure one side of border,” he said.
The general also emphasised that Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence had reducedthe window for conventional conflict.
“You can only push them conventionally to a limit and not beyond that. Andno nuclear nation can be browbeaten beyond a particular stage. It is forthat nation to lay down the red lines as to what is the limit of thepunishment they will take,” he said.
Referring to the possibility of a conventional conflict with Pakistan, LtGen Singh said, “Sometimes, conventional conflict does not take placebecause you can achieve any great military objective but because at timesyou can get pushed into the conflict due to public opinion. Therefore,sometimes it becomes the case of tail wagging the dog.”