The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General MM Naravane deserves special thanks from the people of the Northeast for stating emphatically that the region urgently needs a special focus. The COAS made the statement while deliberating at the seminar on ‘Evolving security challenges in the Northeast and Way Forward’ on Friday and its relevance and importance is obvious since it has been made in the context of China’s current relationship with India and its rising dominance in South Asia. Thanks to the lucidity of the observation, it’s easy to understand that General Naravane has focused on a very hard reality-without making the Northeast strong, it will be impossible to match China’s might and the regional power imbalance arising out of this deficiency is the least which India will want.

Making an exact analysis of Beijing’s long-term motives engineered to keep India on tenterhooks constantly and mentioning the recent Eastern Ladakh face-off, the COAS in his keynote address at the joint annual seminar of Assam Rifles and United Services Institution  said the rising footprints of China in India’s neighbourhood and its attempts to unilaterally alter the status-quo along the  disputed borders have created an environment of confrontation and mutual distrust. This has been the case no doubt as proven not only through Eastern Ladakh developments, but also by the occasional Chinese incursions in Arunachal Pradesh and the permanent claim that the territory belongs to them. The threat to India from the security point of view has been amplified by the increasing belligerence of the neighbour in the Indo-Pacific region where the game plan is to subdue the weaker nations by luring them to participate in so-called economic initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and others. Regional imbalances and instabilities have already widened by now and in near future will increase unfailingly. It’s a national challenge that is silently getting stiffer and as General Naravane has observed, the Northeast will be the major constituent in facing it. Referring to the Act East policy, he said that it’s paramount that  “Northeast is in order” since it is not only the ‘launch pad’ for its attainment, but also  the centre of gravity for sub-regional connectivity. He has echoed the pains and desperation of the people of the region by observing that although it is endowed with natural resources, in terms of growth and development it lags hugely. While observing that regional and internal connectivity is acutely linked to the soundness of national security, he has made the assertion that it’s central to unleash the potential of the Northeast in balancing the influence of China.

A weak Northeast will mean a weak nation and a more aggressive China. Reversing it is the need of times. It’s great the clarion call has come from the Army Chief.  

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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