01-cover_00_COVER_1.qxd 8/9/2017 10:37 AM Page 1 `100 JUNE - JULY 2017, VOL 9 ISSUE 9 www.salute.co.in I www.saluteindia.org INDIA - CHINA FACE OFF TEST OF NERVES 02 AD_00_COVER_1.qxd 8/8/2017 12:10 PM Page 1 !"#$%&'()*+,"#-. /0.*"&'"123)43532+673'* 849)&.)$+'.&.*3'*2:),+#;&'()*+,"#-.)/0.*"&'"123)43532+673'*)+<)*%3).+$&3*:=)/+73)+<)*%3) &'&*&"*&53.)0'-3#*";3')&')*%&.)-&#3$*&+')"#3> !!"#$%$&'!"(&)!*+,!-./++)!0/#)$,(1!234$'#15!#1!6+7(,18(13!-./++)29! !":(&)3/!0&,(!*+,!;)$(,)'!0#3#<(129! !"-&*(!=,#1>#15!?&3(,!#1!3/(!@)4+,#$(!A**(.3($!B&,32!+*!C()&15&1&9 !"=(7()+D8(13&)!&.3#7#3#(2!3/,+45/!A$+D3#+1!+*!E#))&5(29 !"->#))!=(7()+D8(13!3/,+45/!A$+D3#+1!+*!FCF2!9 !"0+13,#G43#+1!3+!H-I&.//!J/&,&3K!&1$!H-I&.//!E#$'&)&'&K!G'!*41$#15!8&#13(1&1.(!+*!3+#)(32!#1!!!!!!!!! !!!6+7(,18(13!-./++)2 THE FORCE BEHIND PEACE Kanchanbagh Hyderabad 500058, Phone: 040-24347868 ,THPS!JZYIKS'IKSPUKPHJVT࠮=PZP[\ZH[!O[[W!IKSPUKPHJVT 03-Contents_03_EDIT.qxd 8/9/2017 10:35 AM Page 3 in this issue 04 SHEDDING THE WEAK STATE TAG I Maj Gen Dhruv C Katoch 05 POST TRUTH ERA I Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma 06 THE FLAG 07 YOUR VOICE 08 DRAGONFIRE I Air Mshl Sumit Mukerji 09 POLITICS IN MALDIVES: WARNING SIGNS FOR YAMEÈN? I Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha 10 INDIA CHINA STANDOFF: HOW AND WHY I Apoorva Goel 12 33 THREE WARFARES: A PRONG OF CHINA’S MILITARY STRATEGY I Maj Gen Dhruv C Katoch DEFENCE NEWS 14 36 TIBET ABANDONED AND THE LESSONS OF NATHU LA I VETERANS ALERT I Hony Capt Baldev Singh Maj Chandrakant Singh 37 19 RAISINA HILL I Lt Col Anil Bhat DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL POWER I 38 Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi BOOK REVIEW 22 39 INDIA’S TRYST WITH TRIJUNCTIONS I Lt Gen. Baljit Singh A TRIP TO THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS I 26 Angshuman De LADY COURAGEOUS I Maj Gen RS Mehta 41 28 THE VEGAN LIFE: MILK SUBSTITUTES HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO CHINA? I Ashali Varma I Aditi Pathak 30 42 ARMED FORCES ASSOCIATION: AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS MAROOF’S MUSINGS I COME? I Brigadier R Vinayak Maroof Raza 31 RAMALINGAM SWAMY I Capt (IN) Anil Gonsalves Authors aspiring to publish their articles in Salute may send by email to [email protected] along with pictures, if any [email protected] >> June - July 2017 >> SALUTE TO THE INDIAN SOLDIER 03 04-Edit_14_19_ BEING A FLY GIRL.qxd 8/9/2017 10:35 AM Page 1 EDITOR’S NOTE SHEDDING THE WEAK Publisher Maroof Raza STATE TAG Editor Maj Gen Dhruv C Katoch MAJ GEN DHRUV C KATOCH SM, VSM The shaping of events over the last couple of sphere, a good beginning has been made to years give one the sense that the country is treat all as equal under the Constitution. Associate Editor finally shedding its tag of being a weak state. A The policy on Kashmir too has seen a shift, Lt Col Anil Bhat more confident India appears no longer will- with a renewed focus by the security forces on VSM (Retd) ing to be a convenient punching bag for vari- eliminating the gun culture. The number of ous actors, both within the country and out- terrorists killed in the state since the begin- Design side it, which gives one the assurance that the ning of August has already crossed the num- UNEEDUS country is ready to address issues based on ber eliminated in the whole of 2016. With infil- merit, rather than on being tied down to a tration being squeezed through increased vigil Publicity Manager tired narrative of appeasement of one and all, across the Line of Control, the terrorist groups Hony Capt (Retd) Baldev Singh to preserve peace within the country and in in the Valley are finding it difficult to make up the neighbourhood. A series of welcome poli- their losses, which is a positive sign. More Board of Advisers cy interventions have changed some of the importantly, the government of the day has Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma earlier effete narratives, which have had a vis- finally cracked the whip on the Hurriyat lead- PVSM, AVSM, YSM ,VSM( Retd) ible impact on the conduct of foreign policy, ership for their links with terrorist organisa- handling of internal security concerns and on tions — a much needed step to curb terrorism Printed published by the social construct within the country. and one which hopefully, will continue to be Flags Media Pvt Ltd The word secular, by definition, implies a pursued. A-47 Hauz Khas (LGF) person not connected with religious or spiri- Finally, on the foreign policy front, the gov- New Delhi 110016 tual matters, but in the Indian context, the ernment has shown firmness in dealing with definition has been transformed to mean Chinese bullying tactics, by standing up for Printed at equal respect for all religions. Over the years, Bhutan and preventing Chinese encroach- JK Offset Graphics (P) Ltd however, Indian secularism got weighted ment into Bhutanese territory near the tri C-21,DDA Shed, towards the perceived sensibilities of the junction at Doka La. This is a vital security Okhla Phase -1 minority religions at the expense of the major- concern for India as Chinese attempts to build New Delhi -110020 ity, largely due to unscrupulous vote bank pol- a road on to the Jampheri Ridge in Bhutan itics. This led to certain communities and reli- would seriously compromise India’s defence gious groups being treated as more equal than and increase the vulnerability of the strategic RNI Registration others in policy interventions, which over Siliguri corridor. China has resorted to high DELENG/2008/26923 time, led to an ingrained sense of entitlement decibel psychological warfare, threatening in these groups. The inevitable backlash that India with war over the issue, through state- Certified that the views expressed followed, ipso facto led to a religious divide ments emanating from Xinhua, the official and suggestions within the country. Tragically, while such poli- press agency of the People’s Republic of China, made in the articles are made cies gave a section of people among the as well as from Global Times—a state owned by authors in their personal minorities a sense of power, far beyond their paper. Belligerent statements have also been capacity and do not have any intrinsic worth, the bulk of the minorities made by Chinese diplomats as well as by their official endorsement remained in the vice like grip of their religious foreign minister. India has shown a remark- mentors, who dictated policy for the commu- able firmness in sticking to its stand, while not nity which was detrimental to their interests, getting provoked by Chinese tactics. While but which helped their leaders amass wealth India would like a peaceful settlement to the and power to an unimaginable extent. The issue, it must be ready to take on the Chinese minorities suffered, the religious divide grew militarily, should the Chinese resort to the use and internal problems got magnified. of force to press their claims. While war with Thankfully, this is now changing. The state China would suit neither India nor China, suc- cannot be seen as partial to either the minori- cumbing to Chinese blackmail is not an ty or the majority, merely to buy peace. Such option. India must work for peace, but keep its actions inevitably lead to fragmentation of powder dry. In the long run, the best antidote society. While much work still remains in this to war is the will to fight for what is right. 04 SALUTE TO THE INDIAN SOLDIER << June - July 2017 << [email protected] 05-Gen Sharma_14_19_ BEING A FLY GIRL.qxd 8/9/2017 10:34 AM Page 1 GENERAL SPEAK POST TRUTH ERA Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma I wonder how many in the uniformed across all spectrums from national to fraternity have really come to grips with routine issues. They are also the ones living in the Post Truth Era! It may who forward unverified negative surprise many to know that the words messages with a routine disclaimer or the phrase, was the Oxford “forwarded as received”. No attempt dictionaries word of the year in 2016. even feeble is made to verify the basic Without going into its literal meaning, authenticity of the often malicious and ‘it implies that objective facts are less post truth report. Thus approximately influential in shaping public opinion 30 percent of the more cynical and than appeals to emotions and personal negative minded of a normal group beliefs’. We are living in a phase of fake dominate the discourse and often news and fictional elusive facts. Such hijack a social group thought process by euphemism as ‘being economical with their sheer persistence. Our soldiers the truth’ and ‘sweetening the story’ and ex-servicemen who are but human, abide. My concern is, that in the Army, get deeply influenced and often get we put a high premium on truth, carried away by this appeal to their accuracy and credibility. In fact, these emotions and prejudices by reinforcing qualities are among the most cherished some latent doubts or beliefs. in a true leader. It has therefore become more The bigger concern for all of us important for leaders of today to should be that this grey area of half- understand the pervasive power of the truths, innuendo and even outright lies social media and by example, dressed up as information/facts are persuasion and proof expose untruths permeating the porous borders of the and the falsehood vitiating the minds social media.