India’s Military Modernisation in the Shadow of the China Threat

Abstract

The violent Galwan clashes of 2020 have changed the trajectory of India–China relations. It has also compelled the Indian government and policy makers to undertake major and long-term changes to push for military modernisation. The need for a modernised, leaner, and younger military is quite eminent and the Galwan clashes have further underscored this issue. Given this backdrop, the article looks at the various changes, which the current Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken to achieve this goal. It also argues that the government is aware that these changes will need time and resources while acknowledging that the Indian side cannot continue to be reactive. India under the current leadership appears to be a very different nation than the Chinese are used to.