A couple of years back I had attended an Air Force interview in Mysore. After a grueling session lasting 5 days they declared me (along with many others) not good enough to be an Air Force officer. Even months after that I would smirk and say “Let the next war with China come. Then these fools at the Air Force will rue not taking me when they get beaten black and blue by the Chinese.”
My self-loathing apart, these days after every war of words between India and China, I fear if my prediction will come true. If a war comes can India truly beat China? The Chinese army is definitely much superior to ours in numbers as well as technology. But even more than the might of armies – what about the nation as a whole? Ours is such a diversified land and people compared to China whose people, more or less can be defined as indigenous. They all even look so much alike. We, on the other hand, are unified only in playing the blame game.
We were defeated once. Make no mistake – there was nothing to be proud of in that war. China unilaterally declared a ceasefire after kicking our ass (not the Biblical ass, the other one - literally). So in midst of our efforts of trying to provoke the bigger, fearful neighbor everyone just ask themselves – are we ready?
Okay – maybe war maybe a long way away. And, yes, maybe I am being pessimistic. But if a war does come ultimately what will help us survive will be our unity rather than the military strength. For sooner or later we will have to resolve all our disputes, border issues and all. I am not raising a war-cry. All I am saying is we have to be prepared.
As for the rest - Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
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