On Thursday, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said that India is looking at “creating a rocket force" as he emphasized the need for extensive use of niche technology to combat various national security challenges, including possible aggression by China.

While making references to Samuel Huntington’s seminal thesis ‘Clash of Civilizations’ during a talk at the India International Centre, the chief of defence staff said it mentions that the Confucian or `Sinic’ civilization would actually join hands with the Islamic civilization to counter the western one.

“Whether that is going to happen or not, only time will tell. But we are seeing some kind of `jointmanship’ between the Sinic and Islamic civilizations. You can see China is now making friends with Iran, moving towards Turkey and stepping into Afghanistan. They (China) will step into Afghanistan in the time to come very shortly,” Gen Rawat said.

"As far as our northern adversary is concerned, since we have unsettled borders with them and they have shown aggression on the east coast, on the South China Sea with nations in that area, are they (China) likely to show aggression on our northern borders?", he added.

The CDS mentioned that Pakistan would continue to fuel and expand its proxy war in India pointing to what we today can see happening in Jammu & Kashmir.

Speaking on the situation in Afghanistan, Gen Rawat said nobody ever thought the Taliban will take over the country “so fast". “Only time will tell what happens. Let us wait and watch. We do not know what is likely to happen in the future in Afghanistan. There could be still more turmoil and more changes which cannot be anticipated now," he said. 

"We share a land border with them. Therefore, I think it is time for us to start looking at our strategies as how we are going to deal with two borders having aggressive neighbours, Pakistan on the western front and China on the north," he said. “We need to start looking at transformation for the betterment and ensuring that the national security architecture that we want to evolve is capable of dealing with the kind of threats we are seeing," he added.

"Whether it happens in the form of direct aggression or through use of technology, we have to be prepared. This preparation can only happen if we work together," the CDS added. 

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