Army veterans share thoughts on India’s security challenges after Operation Sindoor

Two Army veterans shared their thoughts on the internal and external threats to India’s security, especially after Operation Sindoor. Lieutenant General P.R. Shankar and Major General Rajiv Narayanan shared their thoughts during the event ‘Internal and External Threats to India’s Security post Op Sindoor’ organised by ‘We the People of Chennai’ in Narada Gana Sabha in Chennai on Sunday.

Lt. Gen. Shankar said Pakistan was a “familiar enemy” and China was a “difficult enemy” because not much was known about it. Post Operation Sindoor, the whole game has changed, he said. “When Operation Sindoor happened, what did we do? Everyone thought we beat Pakistan. We did not [only] beat Pakistan. We beat China also. Because Pakistan is fully supported by China. And we beat China”.

Recalling from the past, he said that India pushed China back by 15 km. “We will take Aksai Chin back. It is only a matter of time. It might not be during my generation but before the next generation.” Expressing his observations on Pakistan, Lt. Gen. Shankar said every time Pakistan lost militarily, its Army became “politically strong”. “With every political defeat, it strengthens its military that much more.”

Sharing his thoughts on the threat from China, Maj. Gen. Rajiv Narayanan underlined the domestic issues being faced by China and contended that demography was the major challenge being faced by that country. China “lost trust” from the rest of the world, he said, contending that Beijing said one thing but did something else. In the prevailing tensions between Israel and Iran, its influence in West Asia and other areas was “collapsing”, he contended.

“What is going on now within China? Tremendous power struggle. Out in the open!” he said and went on to contend that Chinese president Xi Jinping was being sidelined. People in China were totally opposed to the Community Party and wanted democracy, he said. “But, what you have to realise is that a decline in China is very dangerous. They strike out to externalise their internal problems.”

Convenor of ‘We the People of Chennai,’ Ramaswamy Meyyappan, said that the event was organised also to rekindle a sense of national pride. “We need to foster, create awareness and support for our armed forces, paramilitary forces and internal security institutions.”

Lieutenant Colonel S.V. Sundar was the compere of the event attended by students from various schools in the city. The event commenced with the Sanskrit invocation song ‘Maithreem Bhajata’ and concluded with a national anthem.