THE IMPACT OF MILITARY MIGHT ON GLOBAL POLITICS -
Across time since the Neolithic, up to the era of shooting star-class submarines and laser-guided hypersonic missiles being the new norm in warfare, the human saga has been marked by innumerable wars that have molded the geopolitical map of the world. The fate of nations is determined by the military strategies and political maneuvers of their leaders. The US military’s involvement in the Middle East is among the best illustrations of how force may affect a nation’s soft power and geopolitical standing. The United States maintains influence over important regions, preserving stability and defending its interests in the face of intricate regional dynamics, by deploying cutting-edge technologies and maintaining sizable military outposts. This military supremacy in this crucial region of the world shapes the trajectory of international relations by safeguarding essential resources and bolstering diplomatic leverage.
This blog deep dives into what India's posture has been in terms of military power and how military power has implications for its geopolitical fallout, as well as further notes on its key adversaries and allies. The historical resilience and unique geography of India give it important weight at the international level. Knowing India's defense policy helps us understand how this nation is fast becoming a power to be reckoned with on the world stage today.
In the contemporary era, India, a culturally rich nation in South Asia, has always been an important player in the geopolitical arena. The nation boasts one of the strongest military forces in the world, in addition to a glorious past filled with numerous deeds of bravery. India’s geography has also influenced its incredible history. It has always been in a focal location on the map of the Asian landmass, due to which it has always been in the eyes of invaders. Its isolation from the rest of Asia allowed it to adapt to and absorb many people who entered the subcontinent. No matter how many empires like the Persians, Mughals, or British came to plunder, raid, or rule, India survived those devastating acts.
The advancements in the defense sector of this country have not only strengthened this country but have also brought many changes to global geopolitical dynamics. Hence, understanding the military strategy and defense technology of India not only gives us a case study of how the military contributes to the shifting of the geopolitical landscape but also tells us how India is rising as a crucial member of world politics.
PARTITION’S LEGACY : THE INDO-PAK CONFLICT -
Following the legacy of historical significance, it is important to delve into India’s relations with its neighbor Pakistan. Analyzing Indo-Pak and Indo-China relations with a special emphasis on military tension among them during conflicts provides us with a very insightful knowledge of eastern geopolitics. The Indo-Pakistan War of 1947–1948, also known as the First Kashmir War, arose after the partition of British India. The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was a Muslim majority state but was ruled by Hindu ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. Kashmir became the focal point of the first Indo-Pak war when tribal militias backed by Pakistan invaded in October 1947. The maharaja of Kashmir sought India’s help, and he agreed to accede to India, which created a military conflict between India and Pakistan. With the signature of the Lahore Resolution, which demanded a truce and the evacuation of soldiers from the disputed area, the conflict came to a conclusion on January 1, 1948.
INDIA'S SUPPORT TO BENGALI NATIONALISM -
When we come to analyze the relations between India and Pakistan, another captivating arc was the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, which ended with the formation of a new neighbor of India, which was Bangladesh. The partition of India in 1947 led to the creation of Western Pakistan and Eastern Pakistan, two noncontiguous states with Islam as their common majoritarian religion. Despite the fact that both of the states had Islam as their common dominant religion, the states were very different in language, ethnicity, and culture. Eastern Pakistan was the eastern territory of Pakistan, which was a Bengali-dominated state. Its land borders were with India and Burma, with a coastline of the Bay of Bengal in its southern part.
The eastern population's political and economic concerns were frequently disregarded by the central government, which was controlled by western Pakistan. These elements sparked instability in eastern Pakistan, which exacerbated the country's political and economic problems. Seeing the rise of Bengali nationalism in eastern Pakistan, the tyrant western government used violent methods to suppress the political revolution started by natives of eastern Pakistan.
On March 27, 1971, Ms. Indira Gandhi, prime minister of India, promised her full support for eastern Pakistan’s independence struggle. India sent an army to withstand western Pakistani forces and to aid eastern Pakistani freedom fighters. During this liberation process, it is estimated that 10 million people fled East Pakistan to India to escape the genocidal initiatives taken by the military and western Pakistani armed forces. The massive inrush of refugees not only strained India’s resources but also deepened the tension between India and Pakistan. As the humanitarian crisis increased, the Indian government faced tremendous pressure to take decisive action. This situation led to frequent border skirmishes between the Indian and Pakistani armed forces.
Amid growing tensions, India sought international assistance for its activities. The Soviet Union emerged as a key ally. In August 1971, India and the Soviet Union signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation, which guaranteed Soviet help in the event of a confrontation. This deal was a strategic coup for India since it guaranteed that China and the United States, Pakistan's allies, would refrain from direct engagement.
The Soviet Union's support went beyond diplomatic backing. The Soviets helped India with vital military supplies and information. They also utilized their veto power in the United Nations Security Council to stop any decisions that may have been adverse to India, providing India with the international political cover it needed to conduct its military operations. This act of solidarity not only helped India in the conflict but also significantly strengthened the friendship between India and the Soviet Union, a relationship that has continued to evolve positively into present-day India-Russia ties.
Pakistan began the Indo-Pak conflict on December 3, 1971, with preemptive air strikes on eleven Indian airbases. With Soviet assistance, India replied with a full-scale military operation on both fronts. The 13-day conflict had important geopolitical consequences, including the formation of Bangladesh.
After this war, India emerged as a significant and powerful nation in South Asia, gaining power and increasing influence in the region. The goodwill of India increased a lot after winning this war. Obviously, India has established a favorable stance with most of its neighbors. India also got a geopolitical advantage over its rival nation, Pakistan, after this war. After the war of 1971, Pakistan’s role in Southeast Asia was minimized, and consequently, it withdrew from the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. The loss of East Pakistan meant that Pakistan lost its maritime role in the Bay of Bengal and, consequently, its potential naval capability against India’s eastern seaboard. This incident is a great example of how the military can help a country develop its geopolitics.
US INTERVENTION IN KARGIL WAR -
The most recent war fought between India and Pakistan was the Kargil War of 1999. The war was concentrated in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir, along the Line of Control (LoC), which is the de facto border between India and Pakistan. The conflict started early, when the Indian military learned about the intrusion of Pakistani soldiers in an Indian-administered region. The Indian army and air force were ordered to push back those intruders. President Bill Clinton did not think twice to accuse Pakistan of putting the country at risk of a wider conflict when the United States concluded that Pakistan had willfully crossed the Line of Control close to Kargil. The American government was officially supporting India against Pakistani aggression for the first time. When the last of the Pakistani soldiers withdrew from the Indian zone in July, hostilities came to an end. The Indian army had recaptured most of the territory that the infiltrators had taken over. The Kargil War was an important turning point in American foreign policy toward India. After this war, Western nations and the media started expressing their open or indirect concern at Pakistan’s provocation and support for militant Islamic elements. Thus, apart from becoming a regional superpower, India also started gaining great momentum and a strong bond with western countries.
THE CHINA FACTOR IN INDIAN MILITARY GEOPOLITICS -
While Indo-Pak relations are an important factor in shaping the military geopolitics of India and the surrounding region, there is a neighbor of India that lies in its east that has played an equally pivotal role in forming the region's geopolitical dynamics and effecting its military growth: China. The Indo-China relationship is a very crucial aspect of Indian military geopolitics. The complex and multifaceted relationship between these two Asian giants has not only affected the internal affairs of these two nations but has also influenced the security aspects and geopolitical landscape of South Asia.
The Chinese government in Beijing, after suppressing the buffer state of Tibet in 1950, began disputing with India at several Himalayan locations in Nepal, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim. In 1962, the Sino-India War, also called the Sino-India Border War, was fought between India and China. This conflict was concentrated in Aksai-Chin, which is a portion of the Kashmir region along those countries’ borders. Following a series of border disputes between 1959 and 1962, which were sparked by the Tibetan rebellion, China launched a violent invasion over the disputed lines on October 20, 1962. The Indian military forces' loss on November 21, 1962, brought the war to a conclusion. Officials from the Indian government claim that 548 defense personnel were injured and 3250 defense personnel died. This war had an impact on India-China relations by creating a long-lasting crack in them that still exists today.
Deep flaws in India's defense strategy were exposed during the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The devastating loss destroyed the nation's self-esteem and made self-evaluation imperative. The Chinese People's Liberation Army was well-prepared and well-equipped compared to India's underprepared and ill-equipped armed forces. India had a reality check between 1961 and 1966, which resulted in radical adjustments to its diplomatic and defense policies. The lessons acquired are still relevant today, offering guidance to policymakers.
India created a comprehensive program to rebuild its defense infrastructure after finding there were significant deficiencies in its military. This program encompassed infrastructure development, training quality improvement, and research and development investments. In addition to strengthening its armed forces, India worked to strengthen its diplomatic relations and build strong relationships with a number of important world countries. India reworked its non-alignment policy. India developed a more pragmatic approach to foreign affairs, preserving its sovereignty while adjusting to shifting global dynamics, even if nonalignment remained a guiding principle. In the 1960s, India formed an alliance that benefited its economic and defense infrastructure. While maintaining its non-aligned stance, India began to seek closer ties with the US and other Western countries. Simultaneously, India also improved its relationship with the Soviet Union. Thus, the 1962 Sino-India War is a good example of how the military power of a country can be developed by using proper geopolitics.
1967 saw another India-China clash on the heights of Cho La and Nathu La on the Indian side of the Himalayan border with China. This time, India won! These 1967 clashes brought both countries to parity, and India's prestige was resurrected following the prior setback. They stabilized many decades of Chinese raids on Indian borders and also kept the Sikkim border issue at bay.
BHUTAN-CHINA BORDER DISPUTE: THE DOKLAM REGION -
Doklam is a disputed region between China and Bhutan. It is an area with a plateau and a valley that lies on the Bhutan-China border, near India. Doklam is situated between the Chumbi Valley in Tibet to the north, the Ha Valley in Bhutan to the east, and the Sikkim state of India to the west, making it a strategically significant region. China has always had an imperialistic eye on this region. China sought to assert its sovereignty over this region, which lies at the tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan and is claimed by Bhutan. In addition to this, China wanted to enhance its geopolitical aim by strengthening its regional influence and bolstering its security posture. China asserted its territorial claim in the disputed area along the boundary between Bhutan and China during the Doklam crisis of 2017.
Bhutan and India have a healthy relationship based on their historical, political, and cultural ties. Since the two countries signed the Indo-Bhutan Treaty of Peace and Friendship in 1949, which granted India considerable influence over Bhutan's defense and foreign policy, India has been the country's closest ally and protector. India continues to be a major player in Bhutan's external affairs, even though the treaty was amended in 2007 to grant Bhutan greater autonomy. This forced India and China to face each other on the battleground again in 2017. On June 16, 2017, despite Bhutanese protests, Chinese troops entered the Doklam plateau to build a road. This led to an Indian and Chinese military standoff. Finally, on August 28, 2017, after a series of conflicting events and several diplomatic negotiations, China and India decided to end their involvement in the conflict between China and Bhutan over the Doklam plateau. India emerged as a diplomatic victor in Doklam not by defeating China but by remaining firm on its policies of defending its ally, Bhutan. This standoff demonstrated India’s commitment to its allies, enhancing its reputation as a reliable and strong partner in South Asia.
FROM CONFLICT TO SELF-RELIANCE: INDIA'S MILITARY EVOLUTION
By analyzing all these past conflicts between India and its neighbors, the trend of Indian military geopolitics is very clear. India has emerged as a reliable and strong player in South Asia; it has completely developed a military to defend itself. India is not an imperialistic player like China, which was very clear after the Bangladesh Liberation War. Despite having an intrepid military, India does not follow imperialistic approaches for many reasons. One explanation for this is because India itself was colonized and subjected to expansionism by the British, which strengthened its resolve to maintain its independence and resist expansionism. Additionally, India has continuously defended the concepts of sovereignty and international law.
Today, India is not only an important nation in South Asia, but on a global level, this nation is also a crucial contributor. India has a diverse geopolitical network around the world, which provides all the necessary military technology and diplomatic help from many countries, thereby enhancing its global influence and international alliances. India’s good bonds with both the USA and Russia are testimony to its efficient diplomacy and its innovative redefinition of its non-alignment policy. These bonds also provide India with access to new defense technology, which encourages India to keep upgrading its military infrastructure over time. Also, the export orientation of the Indian defense industry during the last five years has yielded encouraging outcomes. From a meager Rs 1,521 crore in 2016–2017, the country’s defense exports have grown tenfold to Rs 15,921 crore in 2022–2023, with a major contribution from private industries. Today, India has become a partner of choice for several countries. We are exporting a wide range of military hardware, including simulators, drones, counter-drone systems, protective gear, missiles, arms, and ammunition.
Thus, it is certain that sovereignty, non-alignments, and strategic alliances will play a pivotal role in carving the future of geopolitical relations in India in view of regional and international power dynamics.