China to be our main long-term competitor; need strong military deterrence: Indian Army ex-chief Naravane

[Beijingwalker]

China to be our main long-term competitor; need strong military deterrence: Indian Army ex-chief Naravane​

MPost21 Aug 2026 11:45 AM

Pune: India’s attention towards Pakistan was driven largely by the continuing threat of terrorism, but China is going to be New Delhi’s main competitor across multiple domains in the long term, former Army chief General Manoj Naravane has said. While refraining from using the term “enemy” in the context of China, he stressed the need for strong military deterrence while resolving long-standing differences with Beijing through dialogue.

Speaking about security challenges New Delhi faces from its neighbours, Naravane noted Pakistan and China were in a different category, though India had fought wars with both countries and had unsettled borders with them. He was speaking on Thursday at the launch of his new book ‘The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries’, published by Rupa Publications.

“Pakistan and China are a totally different ballgame. We have fought wars with both of them. We have unsettled borders. So they will always remain on our radar as a threat, as a challenge,” he noted. Naravane, however, drew a distinction between the two countries, saying India’s immediate attention towards Pakistan was driven largely by the continuing threat of terrorism, while China was likely to emerge as India’s principal competitor over the longer term. “We have fought major wars with Pakistan, and because of their continued support to terrorism, our attention is towards our western borders. But I think we are very clear that in the long term and in the years to come, China is going to be our main competitor. And I purposely use the word competitor and not enemy,” Naravane said. China, he said, would compete with India across multiple domains, including politics, economics, trade and military affairs.

“They are going to be our main competitor in all fields. Political, economic, trade, and of course military also. And wherever there is competition, there is always a little bit of conflict,” insisted Naravane, who was the Army chief from December 31, 2019 to April 30, 2022, emphasised that India should seek to manage such differences through dialogue and diplomatic mechanisms rather than resorting to force. “It is up to us to try to resolve those conflicts, those differences, through the mechanisms of talks, dialogues. And taking recourse to the use of force should always be the last priority,” the former Army chief maintained. At the same time, he said India must maintain credible military preparedness to deter any potential misadventure. “There comes a moment when you realise that this is not going to happen. And therefore, you have to have a strong deterrence,” Naravane said, adding that the Indian armed forces must remain prepared at all times. “That is why the armed forces have to be ready at all times. You have to have a strong deterrence to stop anybody from taking recourse to the use of force or any misadventure,” he said.

On India’s wider neighbourhood, Naravane said New Delhi should work towards ensuring stability in neighbouring countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. “You can’t choose your neighbours, in real life also, and in geopolitics also. You have to make the best of what you have,” he said. A stable neighbourhood, Naravane stressed, was essential for India’s own peace and development. Instability in neighbouring countries could also lead to refugee flows, smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal arms movement. “If your neighbouring country is burning, that should not make you happy,” he said, citing the refugee influx into India from Myanmar as an example. The former Army chief said that instability along borders ultimately had a direct impact on India, including through the movement of narcotics and other illegal goods. “Therefore, we need to help out these countries to be stable,” Naravane said. Stressing the importance of maintaining peace, he called for ensuring India’s armed forces had sufficient deterrence capability. “If you want peace, prepare for war,” Naravane added.

 

[retaxis]

India main competitor is Bangladesh and Nepal. China is a different planet to india.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

China to be our main long-term competitor; need strong military deterrence: Indian Army ex-chief Naravane​

MPost21 Aug 2026 11:45 AM

Pune: India’s attention towards Pakistan was driven largely by the continuing threat of terrorism, but China is going to be New Delhi’s main competitor across multiple domains in the long term, former Army chief General Manoj Naravane has said. While refraining from using the term “enemy” in the context of China, he stressed the need for strong military deterrence while resolving long-standing differences with Beijing through dialogue.

Speaking about security challenges New Delhi faces from its neighbours, Naravane noted Pakistan and China were in a different category, though India had fought wars with both countries and had unsettled borders with them. He was speaking on Thursday at the launch of his new book ‘The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries’, published by Rupa Publications.

“Pakistan and China are a totally different ballgame. We have fought wars with both of them. We have unsettled borders. So they will always remain on our radar as a threat, as a challenge,” he noted. Naravane, however, drew a distinction between the two countries, saying India’s immediate attention towards Pakistan was driven largely by the continuing threat of terrorism, while China was likely to emerge as India’s principal competitor over the longer term. “We have fought major wars with Pakistan, and because of their continued support to terrorism, our attention is towards our western borders. But I think we are very clear that in the long term and in the years to come, China is going to be our main competitor. And I purposely use the word competitor and not enemy,” Naravane said. China, he said, would compete with India across multiple domains, including politics, economics, trade and military affairs.

“They are going to be our main competitor in all fields. Political, economic, trade, and of course military also. And wherever there is competition, there is always a little bit of conflict,” insisted Naravane, who was the Army chief from December 31, 2019 to April 30, 2022, emphasised that India should seek to manage such differences through dialogue and diplomatic mechanisms rather than resorting to force. “It is up to us to try to resolve those conflicts, those differences, through the mechanisms of talks, dialogues. And taking recourse to the use of force should always be the last priority,” the former Army chief maintained. At the same time, he said India must maintain credible military preparedness to deter any potential misadventure. “There comes a moment when you realise that this is not going to happen. And therefore, you have to have a strong deterrence,” Naravane said, adding that the Indian armed forces must remain prepared at all times. “That is why the armed forces have to be ready at all times. You have to have a strong deterrence to stop anybody from taking recourse to the use of force or any misadventure,” he said.

On India’s wider neighbourhood, Naravane said New Delhi should work towards ensuring stability in neighbouring countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. “You can’t choose your neighbours, in real life also, and in geopolitics also. You have to make the best of what you have,” he said. A stable neighbourhood, Naravane stressed, was essential for India’s own peace and development. Instability in neighbouring countries could also lead to refugee flows, smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal arms movement. “If your neighbouring country is burning, that should not make you happy,” he said, citing the refugee influx into India from Myanmar as an example. The former Army chief said that instability along borders ultimately had a direct impact on India, including through the movement of narcotics and other illegal goods. “Therefore, we need to help out these countries to be stable,” Naravane said. Stressing the importance of maintaining peace, he called for ensuring India’s armed forces had sufficient deterrence capability. “If you want peace, prepare for war,” Naravane added.

India doesn’t need to match China dollar-for-dollar in military spending. China already faces major military and strategic challenges from the USA and its allies, which require significant resources. India can instead maintain a strong, cost-effective defensive force and a credible nuclear deterrent, including survivable nuclear missiles with sufficient reach to ensure that any major attack would carry unacceptable consequences.

The objective is not to attack cities or use nuclear weapons, but to make the cost of a major war overwhelmingly high for both sides. When both countries understand that war could result in catastrophic losses, the incentive to start one becomes much lower. Combined with diplomacy and effective border management, this can help maintain a stable and peaceful India–China border.

When Beijing is within the range of Indian nuclear missiles, I don’t see any major border conflicts happening between India and China. The only possibility would be small border-patrolling issues.

And india and china has much to loose in full war, they can't afford it.. similar way, I can't say for Pakistan.

 

[ety]

Haven't Indians always called China India's sworn enemy for decades ?

 

[retaxis]

China is leader of electric vehicles, battery technologies, shipbuilding technology, space station tech, robotics, AI, machine and tool use tech, rare earth refinement tech, supply chain dominance etc

What's india leader of? Making Samosas with their feet on side of road?

 

[Beijingwalker]

India doesn’t need to match China dollar-for-dollar in military spending. China already faces major military and strategic challenges from the USA and its allies, which require significant resources. India can instead maintain a strong, cost-effective defensive force and a credible nuclear deterrent, including survivable nuclear missiles with sufficient reach to ensure that any major attack would carry unacceptable consequences.

The objective is not to attack cities or use nuclear weapons, but to make the cost of a major war overwhelmingly high for both sides. When both countries understand that war could result in catastrophic losses, the incentive to start one becomes much lower. Combined with diplomacy and effective border management, this can help maintain a stable and peaceful India–China border.

When Beijing is within the range of Indian nuclear missiles, I don’t see any major border conflicts happening between India and China. The only possibility would be small border-patrolling issues.

And india and china has much to loose in full war, they can't afford it.. similar way, I can't say for Pakistan.

Truth is , Without China's check, India could have gone rogue in south Asia for decades.

 

[Yasser76]

This whole thing is a joke, China can decapitate Indian industry in a month if it wanted to. It has left India behind to the extent the tech lead is unsurpassable. Militarily China is now producing weapons and platforms India cannot even purchase from US or Europe or make itself.

Not even a debate or conversation anymore. Best India can do is hope it does not piss of China too much in terms of quality of military tech it passes to Pakistan

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

Haven't Indians always called China India's sworn enemy for decades ?

Not an enemy, but a major threat to Indian national security from China.

We don’t consider Pakistan or anyone else in South Asia to pose such security challenge. That’s why, when discussing military capabilities, India mainly refers to China for examples or comparisons rather than Pakistan. Obviously, you tend to compare yourself with the stronger power and use them as the benchmark.

Our security posture toward Pakistan is different because we don’t fully trust the Pakistani military leadership; they can sometimes take actions that appear difficult to predict and may accept higher risks. China, however, operates differently, with a more calculated and strategic approach. Therefore, we are less likely to expect a sudden, dramatic military conflict with China, even though China remains a major security challenge for India.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

Truth is , Without China's check, India could have gone rogue in south Asia for decades.

No, India has never attacked anyone.

And remember, India became a nuclear-armed state largely because of the security threat from China. The reason no major war has occurred between India and China since then is also related to nuclear deterrence. Even today, if Taiwan were to acquire a credible nuclear deterrent, China would have to think very carefully before taking major military action, because no country wants to risk the lives of its own people over territorial ambitions.

The same logic can be seen elsewhere: the US and Israel have been willing to strike Iran, but would they take the same approach toward North Korea, which has nuclear weapons? Probably not. That is the point of nuclear deterrence.

 

[ety]

No, India has never attacked anyone.

And remember, India became a nuclear-armed state largely because of the security threat from China. The reason no major war has occurred between India and China since then is also related to nuclear deterrence. Even today, if Taiwan were to acquire a credible nuclear deterrent, China would have to think very carefully before taking major military action, because no country wants to risk the lives of its own people over territorial ambitions.

The same logic can be seen elsewhere: the US and Israel have been willing to strike Iran, but would they take the same approach toward North Korea, which has nuclear weapons? Probably not. That is the point of nuclear deterrence.

Lol, India didn't have usable nukes until 1998. There was no war between India and China from 1962 to 1998 either.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

Lol, India didn't have usable nukes until 1998. There was no war between India and China from 1962 to 1998 either.

“How did you know? Did the Indian leadership personally inform you? Those things are always obvious to others. And, as the Indian government stated, the nuclear tests were conducted for peaceful purposes.

Lol - peaceful

 

[ety]

“How did you know? Did the Indian leadership personally inform you? Those things are always obvious to others. And, as the Indian government stated, the nuclear tests were conducted for peaceful purposes.

Lol - peaceful

That's what the Western world believe India didn't have usable ones until 1998.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

That's what the Western world believe India didn't have usable ones until 1998.

Well, the 57 aerial battle has truly exposed Bharat as a charlatan who wants to live in your house rather than doing bidding for you.

Since then, Papa Trump will never allow Bharat having a rest without receiving a proper beating as the special treatment.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

That's what the Western world believe India didn't have usable ones until 1998.

In the early 1970s, India was economically much poorer and faced serious problems with food security, energy costs, inflation and limited resources. A 1974 US diplomatic assessment specifically noted India's economic difficulties and resource constraints when evaluating its nuclear choices.

if India had openly declared itself a nuclear-weapons state in 1974, while being economically weak and diplomatically vulnerable, the international reaction could potentially have been much harsher and imposed significant additional costs. In fact, the 1974 test contributed to the creation of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and restrictions on nuclear cooperation with India if you remember.

Anyways, I already said that China is much stronger than India, so there is no comparison. I’m simply talking about maintaining a minimum but strong military force for defence, along with a strong and credible nuclear-missile deterrent because it's guaranteed for peaceful relationship