12th Sat Paul Sahni Memorial Lecture organized by IIPA JKRB onIndo-China Conflict January 22, 2022

The J&K Regional Branch of Indian Institute of Public Administration organized 12th Sat Paul Sahni Memorial Lecture on the topic of Indo-China Conflict.ShriMaroofRaza, Defence Analyst from New Delhidelivered the memorial lecture whileMajGen (Dr.) G .G. Dwivedi (Retd), SM, VSM (Bar)presided over the function. While sharing the historical perspective on the topic,ShMaroofRaza said that the genesis of the conflict can be attributed to the two contested areas of Aksai Chin & the McMohan Line. While narrating the sequence of conflict post Independence, he said that 1962 Indo-China War was a leadership failure and India could have utilized its military strength to its advantage as done during Operation Falcon in 1987. Further due to China’s Geo-Strategic ambition and its water storage &control strategy, Chinese agenda of using Pakistan to destabilize India has been successful. He was of the opinion that India should balance the strategic equation by following a proactive and aggressive approach against China. While India has an advantage in a conventional war, China has the power to inflict more damage to India through Cyber and Space Warfare strategy. He suggested that since China is a power of consequence to the world, therefore Indian leadership should strengthen its negotiation power by strengthening its economy and defence infrastructure. MajGen Dr. G .G. Dwivedi (Retd), SM, VSM (Bar) who presided over the Memorial Lecture, in his scholarly address emphasized on a long-term strategic policy towards China. He was of the view that the policy of appeasement will prove detrimental towards the strategic interest of India. According to him, India should exploit Chinese vulnerability by understanding the lacunas in their national objectives of stability, sovereignty, deception, relevance of conducive periphery andexpansionist approach. He cautioned that Chinese have the tendency to violate all agreements and feared that once the current dispute settles, the gravity will shift towards Indian Ocean. According to him as the way forward to reduce the power differential, India should adopt a two-fold approach of improving economic &military strength, and build alliance with QUAD from defence perspective. In his welcome address, Lt Col (Retd) Karan Singh Joint Director (Seminars), IIPA J&KRegional Branch introduced the theme and build a perspective for the session. Dr. Ashok Bhan, IPS (Retd.), Patron of IIPA, J&K Regional Branch and former DGP, J&K Police paid glowing tributes to the memory of Late Sat Paul Sahni and described him as multifaceted personality. Describing him as one of the most revered journalists of his time and a moving spirit of the IIPA, he said that it was fortune of many to have worked with him. Prof. Alka Sharma, Hony Secretary, presented the vote of thanks while the proceedings were conducted by the Dr. Anil Gupta, Joint Secretary.Among others, the event on virtual mode was attended by Smt PremSahni, wife of late Sat Paul Sahni and other family members, office bearers and members of IIPA, academicians, research scholars and students from various Universities across the country. It is pertinent to mention that IIPA J&K Regional Branch instituted the memorial lecture in the memory of Sh. Sat Paul Sahni, who was one of the founding members. As a veteran multi-media journalist of yesteryear, he had a rare distinction of covering all the first four wars India fought in 1947, 1962, 1965 & 1971.