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India Gazette
05-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Chinese weapons shortcomings exposed during Operation Sindoor: Srikanth Kondapalli
New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): Srikanth Kondapalli, Professor in Chinese Studies and Chairperson of the Centre for East Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), stated that China's military capabilities were put to the test during Operation Sindoor, and the results revealed significant limitations of China's military technology. Kondapalli's remarks come in response to the Deputy Army Chief's statement that China shared live data on India's assets and Turkey provided drones to Pakistan. '...China also faced a loss during Operation Sindoor, as during the operations on May 9 and 10th, Chinese missile systems, drones, and other weapons couldn't work against BrahMos attacks. It shows that their weapons have a few shortcomings,' Kondapalli told ANI. Kondapalli also emphasised the importance of air defence in the face of emerging threats. 'During Operation Sindoor, air dimension was heavily displayed and we mobilised many aircraft... We are seeing Turkey, Pakistan, and China working together; hence, we need to strengthen our air defence further...' On Friday, Lieutenant General Rahul R. Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance), outlined several key lessons learnt from Operation Sindoor. This conflict revealed the complexity of modern warfare. Speaking at the 'New Age Military Technologies' organised by FICCI, the Deputy COAS highlighted the importance of air defence and technological advancement during military operations. Acknowledging the Pakistan-China alliance, the Deputy Chief pointed out that India has 'two adversaries on one border,' where Pakistan was on the front and China was providing all possible support. The Deputy COAS said that Pakistan has 81 per cent Chinese hardware in their military fleet. 'Air Defence and how it panned out during the entire operation was important... This time, our population centres were not quite addressed, but next time, we need to be prepared for that... I must flag a few lessons regarding Operation Sindoor. Firstly, we had one border and two adversaries, actually three. Pakistan was in the front. China was providing all possible support. In the last five years, 81% of the military hardware with Pakistan is Chinese...' he said. Emphasising the need for a robust air defence system, the Deputy COAS revealed that Pakistan had 'live updates' on India's important vectors that too, with China's help. He said, 'China can test its weapons against other weapons, so it's like a live lab available to them. Turkey also played an important role in providing the type of support it did; they gave Bayraktar and numerous other drones... When DGMO-level talks were underway, Pakistan had access to live updates on our key vectors from China... We need a robust air defence system...' Lt Gen Rahul R Singh also lauded the Indian Armed Forces for carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure. He further emphasised the strategic messaging and integration of technology and human intelligence in target selection and planning. '... There are a few lessons from Operation Sindoor. The strategic messaging by leadership was unambiguous... There is no scope of absorbing the pain the way we did a few years ago... The planning and selection of targets was based on a lot of data that was collected using technology and human intelligence. So a total of 21 targets were identified, out of which nine targets we thought would be prudent to engage... It was only the final day or the final hour that the decision was taken that these nine targets would be engaged,' he said. He added, 'A considered decision was taken that it will be a tri-services approach to send the right message that we indeed are an integrated force... An important consideration was that we should always be at the top of the escalation ladder. When we reach a military objective, we should try and put a stop to it... War is easy to initiate, but it's very difficult to control. So I would say that was a very masterly stroke that was played to stop the war at an appropriate time.' (ANI)
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
National conference at Christ in Bengaluru
The Centre for East Asian Studies (CEAS), Christ (Deemed to be University), in collaboration with The Peninsula Foundation (TPF), hosted a national conference on 'Technology and Military Power in the Contested World' on Friday on the university's central campus. The conference brought together leading military strategists, policymakers, and scholars to explore pressing themes: 'Technology and the Changing Nature of War,' 'Regional Conflicts, Nuclear Thresholds and the New World Order,' and 'Technology, Civil-Military Fusion, and the Future of Power.' Professor N Manoharan, Director of CEAS, in his inaugural address, highlighted the dilemma of technology's dual capacity for human progress and destructive weaponisation. Air Marshal M. Matheswaran, president of TPF, underscored the growing synergy between technology and military power in an era of geopolitical competition. Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, AOC-in-C of the IAF Training Command, delivered the keynote, analysing the shift towards Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), where cyber and space domains are as critical as traditional ones. He highlighted the IAF's technological transformation, driven by disruptive innovation and Atma Nirbharta initiatives.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Professor Srikanth Kondapelli accuses China of buying time by asking for impartial probe into Pahalgam attack
New Delhi: Professor in Chinese Studies and Chairperson of the Centre for East Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU ), Srikanth Kondapalli, has accused China of buying time and stalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's action in response to the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir by demanding "swift and fair" investigation into the attack. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack PM Modi-led 'Super Cabinet' reviews J&K security arrangements Pakistan's General Asim Munir is itching for a fight. Are his soldiers willing? India planning to launch military strike against Pakistan within 24 to 36 hours, claims Pak minister Speaking to ANI, Srikanth Kondapalli questioned China's demand for "fair investigation" as Beijing did not allow global investigators to investigate the Urumqi incident or investigate the origins of Covid-19, despite the Australian Prime Minister seeking a probe and termed their suggestion "problematic and strange." When asked about China's stance regarding the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, he responded, "The Chinese spokesperson... had condemned the incident that happened on April 22nd. He had also said that they expressed sympathies to the victims, etc. So, those cordial things have been mentioned. However, there was no support extended to India, as President Putin mentioned, or as other leaders have mentioned. The Foreign Minister of China spoke to his Pakistcounterpart, Mr Dar, on April 27th, 3 days ago. In this, he said that there should be a swift and fair investigation into the Pahalgam terror attacks. And now that is quite strange because when the Urumqi incident happened in 2009. The Chinese did not allow any global investigators to go into the terror incidents. Likewise, when Covid-19 erupted in China, there was no investigation despite the Australian Prime Minister seeking an investigation into the origins of the virus. So, If the Chinese have not allowed for an investigation. This suggestion appears quite unusual. And also problematic." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3 Reasons to Plug This Into Your Home Today elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo He also recalled how India had allowed a Pakistani expert group to visit Pathankot to investigate the terror incident in 2016. However, he noted that Pakistan did not release any report on the probe, and there were no major consequences following the probe in countering terrorists. He said, "Secondly, the Pakistanis were allowed by India after the Pathankot terror incident, when the airbase incident happened. Therefore, we allowed a Pakistani expert group to conduct an investigation. After that, they did not release any report regarding the Pathankot, and then also there was no major consequence after the investigation was done in countering terrorists or in addressing the issue of terrorism itself. Though this is the Chinese offer, it looks like more buying time and stalling any action that the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, had promised in the Bihar election campaign when he said that we will pursue, we will have a hot pursuit of the terrorists or their backers." Live Events "So, the Chinese suggestion then looks like more buying time rather than either supporting India on the counterterrorism effort or in pursuing this matter in terms of the 1267 Committee of the United Nations Security Council. So, all this suggests that the all weather friendship which was reiterated in Wang Yi's speech with the Pakistanis, that is intact and that means that we should not expect any Chinese support for the counterterrorism related matters with China," he added. As many as 26 people were killed and several others were injured after terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22. Following the attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. Kondapalli recalled that China indirectly supported Pakistan during the 1971 war. He spoke about the possibility of China extending support to Pakistan directly, as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has already been in place, and Beijing has spent USD 52 billion on it. He noted that China also has a terrorism problem with Pakistan, as 34 Chinese nationals have been killed in 14 incidents in the past four years in Pakistan. When asked whether China is going to help Pakistan militarily or financially if there is a bigger flare-up from the Indian side, Srikanth Kondapalli said, "If you look at the history, 1965 India-Pakistan War. 1971 war, Kargil war in the 90s. When you look at these incidents, China had supported Pakistan indirectly, not directly, indirectly meaning opening another front, that is the northern front, the border front with India. They have released Yaks during the 71 campaign. They have demanded India to withdraw troops from Sikkim in the 1965 war. During Kargil, they have trained the Pakistan Air Force at Skardu Airfield when we had the Kargil incident. So, these appeared then indirect support to Pakistan. Of course, 2025 they may directly support. However, there are for the reasons that CPEC has already been in place, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, they have spent USD 52 billion on this and even though the Chinese themselves have a terrorism problem with Pakistan because 34 Chinese people were killed in Pakistan in 14 incidents in the last four years. So, they have a grouse on their own. Global Times, when the Dasu Hydro electricity project blast took place, killing 9 people in 2021." "The Global Times said that China should launch missiles on the terrorist camps in Pakistan while the Chinese themselves say they should have a hot pursuit, including use of missiles. They today do not want India to take similar action on Pakistan. It indicates then the reluctance, but also possibly indirect to direct support to Pakistan in future if the Indian side opens a hot pursuit within Pakistan. So this is one factor. The second factor is as part of the CPEC, China has 36,000 security guards in Pakistan. They have nearly 20,000 Chinese workers in different parts of Pakistan on the CPEC-related issues or other construction jobs like in Gwadar, like in other places. So, if there is a crossfire between India and Pakistan, if there are Chinese casualties, because many of these are located in the border areas like the CPEC projects. If such a situation happens, it is likely that China may play more direct role in the India-Pakistan upcoming conflict," he added. Following the attack in Pahalgam, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. In the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism and closes the integrated Attari Check Post. India has also declared the officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week. Additionally, the central government decided to cancel any visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistani officials to leave the country within 48 hours. India has also suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals, effective immediately. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals will stand revoked, effective from April 27, 2025, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs in a press release. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the country that the terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired to commit it, will face punishment beyond their imagination. Speaking at a gathering in Bihar's Madhubani on April 24, PM Modi declared, "The terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired it, will face punishment beyond their imagination," stressing that the time has come to eliminate the remaining strongholds of terrorism. "The willpower of 140 crore Indians will now break the backbone of the perpetrators of terror," the PM emphasised. He further stated, "We will identify, track, and punish every terrorist, their handlers, and their backers, pursuing them to the ends of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism, and terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure justice is served, and the entire nation is firm in this resolve against terrorism."
