Editor,
A recent remark from a retired major general in what was the Bangladesh Rifles (Border Guard Bangladesh) ALM Fazlur Rahman that the country should invade and occupy all the Northeastern states if New Delhi launches retaliatory attacks for the Pahalgam terror incident. Historically speaking, the Pakistan military gained greater control after the assassination of the founding fathers of independence, which also fueled a rapid transformation of Islam. Foreign assistance solidified organizations like the Jamaat-e-Islami, establishing Bangladesh as a potential operational base. As Beijing is inching closer towards the Northeast, the Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar in its analysis, ‘EAOs Control Four Trade Stations on China Border’, mentions the trade value of approximately 10 billion US dollars which make for 97 per cent of the gross cross-border engagement between China and Myanmar.
The chink in armor for security analysts would be South East Asia while China is still thirsty for the Jade industry and rare earth elements to topple the balance of power, Indian intelligence has to bolster its capability through counterintelligence collection partnering and partaking information using innovative tactics and strategic operations against non-state actors. With adversaries adapting on the grand chessboard, diplomatic channels have to be opened which could leverage the playing field and, in the same vein, securing these embassies is imperative. Finally, understanding the network of foreign banking institutions which aid and finance, collecting reports of investments, transactions and companies guarding against current and future threats.
‘Dragon on Our Doorstep: Managing China Through Military Power’ by Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Wahab explains why the Indian security architecture has to change for the better.
Christopher Gatphoh,
Laitkor Rngi, Shillong
