Buck Up Our Analysis

Context: Sino-Indian border dispute has exposed the systematic failure in the strategic assessment and intelligence capabilities of India.

Systemic Shortcomings in Strategic Analysis and Intelligence

• Intelligence failure of the armed forces to detect the Chinese incursion and mirror their deployments promptly.
• Failure to recognise the deficiencies in defence and intelligence capabilities that were exposed during 1999 Kargil.
• Poor military strategic assessment: despite having the National Technical Research Organisation and the Defence Intelligence Agency to help process disparate intelligence collection and analysis.
• Inability to correctly monitor and analyse the redirection of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) elements taking part in an exercise on the Tibetan plateau to positions close to LoAC.
• Lack of political review or accountability (command failure) on military performance during conflict or peacetime has resulted in a culture of mediocrity.
• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to provide a single point of advice to GoI on military affairs and to synergize India’s three armed services has lately been curiously missing from action’.

Conclusion: Investing in more technologically advanced military and intelligence infrastructure to detect and deter future Chinese attempts in changing the status quo may be the first step.