ARMY WAR COLLEGE MHOW Volume 43 Summer 2014 July 2014 CONTENTS Commandant’s Note From the Editor’s Desk Articles Author Page No. Ethical Issues in Asymmetrical Warfare Lt Gen(Retd) SRR Aiyengar, PVSM, AVSM, 7 VSM Opportunities for India in South Asia Lt Gen(Retd) Mukesh Sabharwal, PVSM, 14 AVSM**, VSM An Appraisal of the Emerging Security Situation in the South China Sea Col Jason Blain, Australian Army 18 Staying With Kabul: Delineating Roadways in Afghanistan Post 2014 Col Anil Nautiyal 26 China’s Aircraft Carrier and its Implications on Indian Naval Operations Capt(IN) Manmohan Singh 34 in The Indian Ocean Region Ambiguities in Chinese Nuclear Doctrine: Implications for India Col NP Singh 39 SunTzu – The Military Analyst and Strategist Brig(Retd) CB Khanduri 46 Increased Chinese Aggression in Jammu and Kashmir: Implications for Col Vikas Slathia 50 India and Response Options Socio-Economic Roots of Insurgency in Northeast India: A Study of Brig SK Sharma 56 Manipur Urban Terrorism – A New Face of Asymmetric Warfare Brig Suneel M Limaye 62 Siachen Still Significant Lt Gen(Retd) Mukesh Sabharwal, PVSM, 67 AVSM**, VSM Dronacharya of Indian Army & Navy: Col (Retd) Des Raj Dalmotra Editor 72 VSM: My Story: India by Choice Mrs Layla Minwalla 75 From the Shelves of The Combat Library Book Reviews Our Moon Has Blood Clots by Rahul Pandita Reviewed by Lt Col Amit Karulkar 79 Empress Dowager Cixi: The Cocubine Who Launched Modern China by Reviewed by Col SK Srivastava,SM 78 Jung Chang Editor’s Choice 81 Guidelines for Contributors 82 EDITORIAL COMMITTee Lt Gen Sandeep Singh,AVSM**,SM,VSM Chairman Maj Gen M Ramesh Babu, SM** Dean Brig SK Nandal Director, FOS Col GS Sandhu, SM Editor Commandant’s Note s we go into print the immediate and relevant neighbourhood continues to be racked by violence, instability in governance, terrorism and Ahegemony of the stronger Nations. The American partial withdrawal from Afghanistan in the current year creates an opportunity for the nascent and fledgling Afghan National Army and other security forces to assert themselves and create a sense of security amongst the citizens. It remains the responsibility of all stakeholders in maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan and continue providing all the assistance to the country. The recent attack on the Indian Counsulate in Herat and its successful repulsion by Indian and Afghan forces continues to highlight the instability that wrecks the country. Happy Reading Lt Gen Sandeep Singh,AVSM**,SM,VSM Commandant ARMY WAR COLLEGE IS AWARDED UNIT CITATION BY THE GOC IN C ARTRAC : LT GEN SANJEEV MADHOK, AVSM, VSM, GOC IN C ARTRAC PRESENTING THE CITATION TO LT GEN SANDEEP SINGH, AVSM**, SM, VSM, COMMANDANT ARMY WAR COLLEGE From the Editor’s Desk his issue of the War College Journal comes at a time of great upheaval in political and foreign affairs in Europe, the much touted Russian, T European Union and USA cooperation seems to be petering out. With many fearing a return of the vintage ‘Cold War’. In our Asian neighbourhood Chinese aggressive intent is showing up by its behaviour with three of its immediate neighbours, namely Japan, Vietnam and India. We have devoted two articles to China. In this Edition of the Journal we have also focussed on a large number of other issues, which we felt that our readers would find interesting. We are very pleased with the overwhelming response in the form of articles from our readers and members. I wish to thank all are readers who have contributed to the Summer Edition 2014 of the War College Journal. Happy Reading! Col GS Sandhu,SM Editor War College Journal ETHICAL ISSUES IN ASYMMETRICAL WARFARE “Asymmetrical warfare presents on a spatial, functional, temporal, and moral plane. Within an information warfare construct, the moral component of asymmetrical warfare has proven to be an operational imperative. Achieving the ethical certainty of acceptable norms of conduct is an all-ranks function. It is analogous to a tug-of-war team whereby ethics and leadership are two strands of the same rope. A failure in either leads to both failing the mission and failing our soldiers”. Excerpts from ‘Duty with Discernment’, CLS guidance on Ethics in Operations- Strategic Edition) Introduction effect change through violence and fear. This trend has blurred he term ‘Asymmetric Warfare’ is frequently used to the distinction between an insurgent and a terrorist. Hence in describe what is also called ‘Guerilla Warfare’, ‘Insurgency’, this essay, the noun ‘terrorist’ will be used to describe all armed ‘Terrorism’, ‘Counter-Terrorism’, ‘Counter-Insurgency’, cadres of an insurrectionist movement. Ethical issues addressed Tessentially violent conflict between a formal military power and in the paper are based on the author’s observations while an informal, less equipped and supported, undermanned but a serving in the NE and J&K. 1 resilient opponent. Weak opponents will use almost any means Defining the “Ethics Battle space” at their disposal to achieve their aims in war; they will employ terrorist tactics, attack civilians, plant road side bombs, and Here in the figure below an attempt has been made to put kill prisoners if they happen to capture any. Such opponents, across graphically examples of dynamic influences that may although not abiding by the Law of Warfare, will challenge bear on a soldier or as a leader at any one time and influence any perceived transgressions on the part of the state actor their thoughts and behaviour. This aspect assumes importance and exploit it in the court for compliance to one’s of international public Defining the Ethics “Battle space” decisions is based on opinion. They will even these influences. These provoke such transgressions factors range from by using human shield Unit Culture strict codification around high value targets. Professional & Climate such as laws and Ethics & Leadership What Guides Many have tried to describe Ethos regulations, through this new type of warfare Soldier more adaptable yet Behavior? and many catch phrases Personal Soldier still codified rules Laws & Values, Ethics …In What and buzzwords have come Thoughts & of engagement, the Regulations & Behavior Contexts? and gone more so because Morals professional military it is multi-dimensional ethos, unit culture and A Full Spectrum and amorphous. It is best Professional norms, and extend Rules of Focus is Needed Values & described as ‘population– Engagement through to personal centric and non-traditional’. Human Norms Spirit morals and beliefs, We have in the Indian Army values, ethics and grouped it under a broad aspects of human spirit. rubric ‘Sub–Conventional’ • Different soldiers may “weight” the influence of each component differently. Further one would • The same soldier may weight influences differently in different contexts. operations. notice at the bottom of the figure, different Asymmetry has many soldiers may weigh the influence of each of these factors ingredients to include: Material, Technological, Doctrinal, separately. Some soldiers may tend to be guided more by rules Psychological, Organizational, Training and leadership, of will 2 of engagement and laws, while others may draw from internal and Patience. The term ‘Asymmetrical Warfare’ over the sources of their spirit, while yet others seek to comply with years has undertaken many new and broader dimensions and the norms and expectations of their unit members. Regardless in this paper it is confined to its usage to describe a number of such weightings, it is clear that a framework for ethical of terrorist related threats and activities. It also pertains to development for ethical decision making must take a holistic ‘Counter-Insurgency Warfare’, wherein, terror is employed by approach and target a wide set of factors. the irregular adversary as a means to subvert the rule of law and 7 | July 2014 War College Journal Professional ethos (values and beliefs) serves to insulate our offences within the scope of and as defined in the international personnel from moral angst and provides the ethical certainty conventions and protocols relating to terrorism, are under inherent in the immutable values of loyalty, duty, courage and no circumstances justifiable by considerations of a political, integrity that are demonstrably professed and practiced. Our philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other ethos constitutes our “moral compass” and our shield against similar nature”. 3 The key to a moral understanding of terrorism ethical uncertainty. Yet, it is insufficient that the compass exists is that it consists in the use of force against those who should metaphorically as a technology. To influence his decision- not have force used against them. With the above criterion in making, the soldier must know the compass, understand it, be mind a moral definition of Terrorism could be: ‘terrorism is convinced of its value, know how to use it, use it properly and the deliberate, negligent, or reckless use of force against non- trust it. combatants, by state or non-state actors for ideological ends and in the absence of a substantial just legal process’. 4 Leadership is an essential component in creating a coherent overall approach to fostering ethical behavior in an organization We need to reflect on how terrorism presents a profound as the effects of leadership are often more profound than those moral and legal challenge for the military. It raises the myriad of other ethical tools, such as codes of conduct. This includes of questions: Is terrorism committed by non-state actors both leadership through direction from superiors to those nonetheless an act of war? Do ordinary rules of war, which seek under their supervision; and leadership by example, whereby to protect civilians as much as possible from violence, apply? seniors ‘practice what they preach’. By extension, where ethical Is the distinction between combatants and civilians still viable leadership lacks competency, it can lead to sub-standard practice in an age of terrorism? What legal and ethical constraints on across the organization through misplaced advice, orders or military responses to terrorism should we advocate and why? omissions.