Retired chief warns Pakistan remains a lasting threat, China a long-term challenge

At the Govind Ballabh Pant memorial lecture held at Teen Murti Bhawan, former Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan asserted that Pakistan will remain a security threat to India for the foreseeable future. He explained that a threat requires prompt action, while a challenge is a longer-term, less obvious issue that can become a threat if ignored. Chauhan cited India’s recent operations—Sindoor, Balakot and Uri—as reducing conventional conflict space with Pakistan, yet warned that terrorism and proxy wars persist.

Regarding China, he described the boundary dispute and infrastructure developments as sources of friction, urging the armed forces to stay agile. He welcomed new India-China military hotlines but cautioned that bilateral relations cannot be reduced to border matters alone. Chauhan concluded that a shifting global order makes it harder to label nations as permanent friends or foes.