“It was a test of India’s indigenous systems vs Chinese systems” Warfare expert Spencer on Pakistan’s escalation during Op Sindoor

Noting that Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor were a message about its capability not just to Pakistan, but to the world, a leading international security expert has said that New Delhi demonstrated not just capability but showed the will to strike with precision and restraint.

India and Pakistan agreed to a cessation of hostilities following a call made by Pakistan’s DGMO to his Indian counterpart.

Spencer said Pakistan is a Chinese-equipped military, so “this is absolutely a test of Chinese military technologies, both for the rest of the world and also for China”.

There is an element of proxy warfare where it’s kind of geopolitically who has a military defence agreement with whom and what’s the extent of it.

But absolutely, this is a test of Indian indigenous systems versus Chinese systems. Spencer said that for the military capabilities, the evidence was in the video, satellite footage, “not in the words about how you said your Chinese systems performed.

He said there is a difference between a war and a named operation like Sindoor, which was a response to a terrorist attack that had a clear start and a clear ending

There are a lot of nuances there, even from the geopolitical perspective of China or any adversary to India, using Pakistan and these borders to isolate India economically.

There is a difference between a war and a named operation like Sindoor, which was a response to a terrorist attack that had a clear start and a clear ending and this broader kind of state of conflict where nation states are trying to weaken what they view as threats and weaken their neighbour.

Answering a query, Spencer, who is a scholar, author, security analyst and an internationally renowned expert on urban warfare, military strategy and other related topics, said nobody can predict the future, but one of the ways to prevent future wars is through preparation.

War is always uncertain, political, and human. You can’t predict the triggering moment of the next war. The underlying condition within India, which is a pattern of response to cross-border terrorism, leads to the formation of a doctrine that an enemy takes advantage of. Nobody can predict the future, but one of the ways you prevent future wars is through preparation.

This was why I studied Operation Sindoor. It wasn’t just about the four days. It was what was happening in the decade preceding and the five years preceding, from India’s emergence to the Indian military’s transformations and preparations, to the small business innovations that were taking place with the technologies and so many elements that were preventing and leading to being prepared for a war.

Spencer indicated that Pakistan might seek advanced technologies elsewhere also, despite financial constraints. So, where can they get it cheaply? They also want advanced superior technologies.

(economictimes.indiatimes.com)