Taking the worst case, China may actually like to engineer a border conflict and the Indian political, diplomatic and military leadership must prepare for it. Along the border there are a number of areas where the Chinese enjoy geographical, logistical and tactical advantages. The Indian Army is well aware of them and has contingency plans to counter such a venture. Though neither side will like to escalate the conflict into a major war, the reactions, particularly in a limited and localised conflict, will have to be robust and swift.

Given the above scenario, howsoever remote it may appear today, the political leadership should sit down with the military leaders and ‘wargame’ different scenarios upto their logical conclusions. Shying away from such a possibility may result in the classic predicament of the ostrich in the sand.

The writer is former vice chief of army staff