India bracing for limited conflict with pushy China, says top US intel official
The Times of India, 2 February 2012
NEW DELHI: The Indian Army may be preparing for a limited conflict with China, says the US’ top intelligence official. In a testimony to the US Senate, James Clapper, director of national intelligence, said, “Despite public statements intended to downplay tensions between India and China, we judge that India is increasingly concerned about China’s posture along their disputed border and Beijing’s perceived aggressive posture in the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific region.”
Commenting on the Indian military modernization, Clapper said, “The Indian Army believes a major Sino-Indian conflict is not imminent, but the Indian military is strengthening its forces in preparation to fight a limited conflict along the disputed border, and is working to balance Chinese power projection in the Indian Ocean,” he said.
Giving a glimpse of the developing Indo-US ties, Clapper said India endorsed a stronger US presence in east Asia. China’s aggressive behaviour has been tempered recently, he said, but the drivers of such approach persist.
He said Pakistan continues to maintain a state of enmity with India, despite the recent overtures from either side. “Pakistan and our interests are not always congruent…their existential threat continues to be India.”
The US intelligence official also said that India is unlikely to send troops or heavy equipment to Afghanistan, fearing a backlash from Pakistan. “New Delhi in the near term is unlikely to send troops or heavy equipment to Kabul because it does not want to provoke Pakistan,” Clapper said.
“Although Chinese leaders have affirmed their commitment to a peaceful and pragmatic foreign policy – and especially to stable relations with China’s neighbours and the rest of the world – Beijing may take actions contrary to that goal if it perceives that China’s sovereignty or national security is being seriously challenged,” he said.
India, too, he said, would go slow on the issues like Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek. “Less progress has been made in discussions over the difficult border issues of Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek, and we judge New Delhi will maintain a go-slow approach in these negotiations,” Clapper added.