Hassan Rouhani’s quote “Global challenges require collective responses” is quite important as the worlds spotlight shifts to the G20 Summit on November 15-16, 2022 in Bali, Indonesia.
After the United Nations, the G20 is the second biggest alliance in the world as it comprises 19 nations and the European Union. The European Union consists of 27 nations, thus the G20 alliance has 46 nations as members.
The G20 countries constitute two-thirds of the world’s area, have 60% of the worlds population, conduct 77% of the international trade and contribute 80% of the worlds Gross World Product (GWP), thus making it a potent and a powerful alliance.
G20 was founded on September 26, 1999 with a four-fold aim to tackle issues of global economy, financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
The G20 Summit in Bali is happening at a critical time when the Russia-Ukraine War is nearing its ninth-month having disrupted the global supply chains devastatingly, and the Covid-19 pandemic is on the wane having shattered the global economy. Thus, this G20 Summit is of immense global significance and the world has immense hope from the Bali Summit.
Attempts by the United Nations to end the Russia-Ukraine War have not been successful. The visit of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Russia & Ukraine in the last week of April 2022 did not yield any success to end this war.
The world now looks upon the Bali G20 Summit in the hope that methods and means are found to end this war which has directly and indirectly affected every global citizen.
Also, as the world recovers from the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in every global citizen being affected directly, it is hoped that this G20 Summit finds solutions and systems to get the global economy back on track.
Since inception, the Bali G20 Summit is the most important G20 summit in view of the catastrophes the world is undergoing though presently. One very important outcome of the meeting between the US President Joe Biden and the Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 14, 2022 in Bali, a day before the G20 Summit officially begins, is that both the nations have condemned the Russian nuclear threats on Ukraine.
This positive statement coming from two powerful nations of the world, specially from China which is a close ally of Russia, can be taken as an auspicious beginning to the G20 Summit.
In case the G20 Summit is able to deliver the worlds expectations it will become a much powerful alliance and will save the world from further death and destruction.
As the world glare and gaze in on Bali for the next two days, Charles Kettering’s words “High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation” have a deep meaning for the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.
About the Author
Lt Col JS Sodhi retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army and is an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla and IIT Kanpur. He is a M.Tech in Structures has also done MBA and LLB and is a prolific writer and a public speaker. He features in the World Book of Records, London and the India Book of Records for his media work. He Tweets at @JassiSodhi24. The views expressed are personal.
Warren G Bennis’ quote “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality” is buttressed with the recently announced results of the mid-term elections of USA.
As doubts were being raised in certain quarters since the turn of 2022 over President Joe Biden’s health or his supporting Ukraine in the Russia-Ukraine War or allowing Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan on August 02 this year, President Biden has grown in stature and has emerged as a master strategist, as the results of the mid-term elections held in USA on November 08, 2022 were declared last weekend.
The Democratic Party’s dramatic performance in the mid-term elections ensured their hold in retaining control over the all-important Senate, thus signalling that the American voters had stamped their approval to President Biden’s domestic and international policies.
In this article we will analyse three implications the results of the US mid-term elections of 2022 will have globally.
The first major implication is that the Russia-Ukraine War will now become longer and lengthier as US will keep on continuing its support to Ukraine in all possible sense except sending its soldiers in the war zone. Ukraine having smelt victory after routing the Russians in Kherson is no mood to stop the war till it frees the area that have been annexed by Russia in the ongoing war.
The second implication is that China will feel the pinch and pressure more, a trailer of which was seen by the enacting of the Chips and Science Act in July by the US Congress this year. This Act entails giving more than US$ 50 billion in federal grants to firms building semiconductor manufacturing facilities in USA with a caveat not to upgrade any China based factories for a decade. This has effectively crushed and crumbled China’s dreams of becoming a world leader in the production of semiconductors by 2030.
Also, USA will continue its full support to Taiwan militarily thus thwarting and frustrating China’s designs to annex Taiwan. The tension across the Taiwan Straits will increase in the days ahead as Xi Jinping will be under immense pressure as the next Chinese Presidential elections slated in 2027 approach nearer.
Lastly, the mid-term election results will prove to be a boon to India as the Indo-US relations will get better and brighter, though traditionally the Democrats have not been pro-India. The Pentagon in its security report submitted on November 05, 2022 has labelled China as the leading security threat to USA.
USA is well aware that in order to check and contain China, it needs the help of India which is a reckonable force in the Indian Ocean. This is evident from the fact that President Biden incorporated India in the I2U2 Summit held in July this year and the applause that India got in the recently concluded Quad Summit in Tokyo on May 24, 2022. The fact that USA did not impose tough measures on India, except for a few statements here and there, as it continues to purchase oil from Russia and purchased the S-400 air defence system from Russia shows the clout India has today in international affairs.
John C Maxwell’s quip “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way” fits aptly and appropriately for President Joe Biden who has led the Democrats in an historic win in the mid-term election in USA. The path to the 2024 US Presidential Elections has got clearer.
About the Author
Lt Col JS Sodhi retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army and is an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla and IIT Kanpur. He is a M.Tech in Structures has also done MBA and LLB and is a prolific writer and a public speaker. He features in the World Book of Records, London and the India Book of Records for his media work. He Tweets at @JassiSodhi24. The views expressed are personal.
The quote by the famous Chinese strategist Sun Tzu many centuries back “The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary” should now be used by an India led alliance to check and contain China which has been harbouring expansionist designs on all its neighbours with whom it shares land borders.
China has a land border of 22,117 kilometres and has border disputes with all the 14 nations that it shares its borders with. It also has a dispute with three other countries over islands. In total, it has dispute with 17 countries over land and islands.
The String of Pearls which is a subset of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is a network of Chinese military and commercial bases from the Chinese mainland to Port Sudan in the Horn of Africa. This network passes thought important maritime choke points that include the Strait of Malacca, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Mandeb, Gwadar Port in Pakistan, the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka and also the Chittagong port in Bangladesh.
The String of Pearls coupled with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and some other parts of China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) pose a major threat to India’s security.
China has a diverse landscape with the Gobi Desert and the Taklamakan Desert in its north and the Himalaya, Pamir, Tian Shan and the Karakoram Mountain ranges in its west. It has sub-tropical forests in its south and a 14,500-kilometre coastline in its east.
The Chinese coastline is bounded by the South China Sea, East China Sea, Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea.
The Yangtze River and the Yellow River which are the third and the sixth largest rivers in the world respectively, run from the Tibetan Plateau in western China to eastern China. Other major rivers in China are Xi, Mekong, Brahmaputra and Amur.
With this kind of a geographical layout, it is but natural that eastern China would be the centre of gravity of the country. No wonder eastern China is home to about 90% of the Chinese population and has the most important cities like Beijing, Jinan, Shanghai and Shenzen located in its eastern part.
Hence, the eastern part of China is the most vulnerable and China is aware that an attack on its coastline would make things difficult as it would get cut off from the world. It is this belly that is the most critical for China.
China has since long wanted to control the Indo-Pacific region which is of immense importance for its security and commercial shipping. The String of Pearls is one such initiative by China in this direction.
China seeks to encircle India by the sea route by wresting control of Gwadar, Hambantota and Chittagong. It has managed to secure full command and control of Gwadar and Hambantota.
The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party which was held from October 18-22, 2022 in Beijing resulted in Xi Jinping being appointed as the President of China for the third time in a row. In his speech to the National Congress, Xi Jinping stated that the reunification with Taiwan remains his focus and did not rule out force to achieve the unstated unofficial national aim and ambition of the Chinese people.
With several senior Generals of the People’s Liberation Army elevated to the Central Military Commission who have experience in serving in the Western and Eastern Commands which are responsible for operations against India and Taiwan respectively, the next five years will be tough and turbulent for India and China and for the other countries like Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Vietnam.
Since the desires and designs of China in expanding its borders to include the land of the countries it has land borders/disputes with continue unabated, it is high time that a doctrine called the Garland of Pearls is formulated with India, Nepal, Bhutan, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan as its nine integral members. The nine-member alliance formed out of this doctrine should be a military alliance.
China does not have the capability and capacity to fight a two-front war with India and Taiwan at the same time. The military alliance formed out of the Garland of Pearls Doctrine will rattle and rumble China and will make it uneasy and uncomfortable.
A formidable and forceful military alliance will check and contain China.
Niccolo Machiavelli quip “Injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less, they offend less, benefits ought to be given little by little, so that the flavour of them may last longer” is apt and appropriate for the Garland of Pearls doctrine to be formulated so that the Indo-Pacific region sees an everlasting and an eternal peace.
About the Author
Lt Col JS Sodhi retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army and is an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla and IIT Kanpur. He is a M.Tech in Structures has also done MBA and LLB and is a prolific writer and a public speaker. He features in the World Book of Records, London and the India Book of Records for his articles in the print media and news channel appearances. He Tweets at @JassiSodhi24. The views expressed are personal.
Major Sanjay Chauhan, Shaurya Chakra: source Author
Kyle Hockenberry’s quote “For those I love I will sacrifice” holds very apt for one of the most confident and courageous Officers of the Indian Army, Major Sanjay Chauhan, Shaurya Chakra.
A tall and fair college student stood staring at an Army Officer in uniform in August 1989 on Platform Number 1 of Chandigarh Railway Station as both awaited the Shatabdi Express to New Delhi which would be arriving any moment.
This college student would go on to become one of the bravest Officers of the Indian Army, Major Sanjay Chauhan, Shaurya Chakra.
As Sanjay looked adoringly at the Army Officer in uniform while the rains lashed Chandigarh Railway Station, he dreamt of wearing this haloed and pious uniform. He gathered courage and walked up to the Army Officer. After introducing himself, he asked the Army Officer as to how he could join the Army. The Officer told him about Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
Sanjay belonged to the peaceful and beautiful town of Solan, Himachal Pradesh. None of his friends and relatives were in the Army. Sanjay did his schooling and Bachelor of Science from Solan. He was good in studies and was a good sportsman too in school and college.
After completing his graduation, he was selected for post-graduation in Chemistry on scholarship in Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.
When Sanjay had met that Army Officer in Chandigarh Railway Station, he was going back to the University after the Eid holidays.
After reaching Aligarh, Sanjay started finding out more about the entrance exam for IMA Dehradun.
The entrance exam for IMA is one of the toughest in the world. Just 150 candidates are selected out of over 2 lakh students who give the exam. But Sanjay was determined that he had to join IMA and he started preparing in right earnest.
The toil of Sanjay bore fruit and on July 20, 1990 Sanjay reported to the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun as part of the 89 Regular Course.
Gentleman Cadet or GC Sanjay Chauhan was allotted Imphal Company and for next one and a half years, Sanjay worked very hard in IMA and soon made many good friends among his coursemates. His coursemates used to lovingly call him “Chau”. And this nickname stuck on forever.
Chau was very good in Cross Country and Athletics. His performance in the Camps was extra-ordinary and during camps he would always volunteer to carry the heaviest battle gear.
On December 14, 1991 Second Lieutenant Sanjay Chauhan was commissioned as an Officer in the Rajputana Rifles. The Rajputana Rifles or Raj Rif as it is commonly called, is one of the most brave and valiant Regiments of the Infantry of the Indian Army.
The first place of posting after commissioning of Chau was Lalgarh Jattan in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Seeing the motivation and dedication of Chau, the Commanding Officer of his Battalion made him the Ghatak Platoon Commander. Ghatak Platoon is also known as Commando Platoon. Chau started training the Ghatak Platoon and would war game various situations with the men under his command.
1n 1993 orders were recieved for the Battalion to be inducted in the Kashmir Valley. Just a few years ago, militancy had erupted in the Kashmir Valley. Knowing the challenges that lay ahead, Chau put in greater steam to train his Ghatak Platoon.
The Battalion moved to Chowkibal in the Kashmir Valley. Being the Ghatak Platoon Commander, Chau started collecting intelligence of the militants operating in the area under his jurisdiction. His intelligence network was praise worthy and he started operating in small teams and successfully started eliminating terrorists.
On October 22, 1994 Chau was to proceed on leave to his hometown in Solan. This leave was special as he was to get engaged to the girl, he was in love with, the lady of his dreams.
Just a day prior on October 21, 1994 credible intelligence inputs were received that about 70-80 militants would be congregating in the morning of 28 October 1994 in Village Lachimpora of Wariban Forest which fell in his area of operations.
Chau understood the importance of this input and knew that this was an ideal opportunity to eliminate maximum militants in one go. He immediately cancelled his leave and summoned his Ghatak Platoon. He made a fantastic plan and presented it to his Senior Officers. His plan was very bold and had great element of risks involved. But his Superiors had full faith in his abilities as he had many successes to his credit in the past one year that the Battalion had been deployed in Counter Insurgency Operations.
Chau was given the go ahead.
Chau along with his team of four soldiers, disguised themselves in the traditional salwar kameez and on top of it wore Pherens. Pherens are over-sized tunics. They wore Peshawari turbans as the headgear. Thus, they looked like the militants operating in the Valley. Chau and his men knew a bit of Pushto language so blending into the militant’s congregation would be easy.
At day break on October 29, 1994 Chau and his team, wearing the traditional attire with AK-47 assault rifles tucked under the Pherens, walked down the mountain spur to the Village ground where the militants had gathered. A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and 20 men were the Reserve Party giving them cover from the mountain ridge above and were to come to their aid in case the situation so warranted.
Chau and his team reached the congregation and exchanged pleasantries with the militants gathered there. But their accent soon raised suspicion in the mind of few militants. Realizing that now was the opportune moment, Chau and his team opened fire and killed 17 militants on the spot. The other militants ran helter-skelter and then regrouped.
Meanwhile Chau and his team took cover in a small hill near the village. Soon 25-30 militants encircled them. Chau tried contacting the JCO of the Reserve Party for assistance but the radio communication did not get through.
Soon Chau and his team killed eleven more militants before they ran out of ammunition. The militants closed in and a hand-to-hand fight started. Chau and his team killed eight more militants bare handed before all of them were over powered and captured alive by the militants.
The militants then tortured all of them and cut them into pieces and stuffed them into gunny bags and then fled away.
Major Sanjay Chauhan and his team sacrificed their lives in the Service of the Nation with utter disregard to their safety, in the highest traditions of valour and bravery of the Indian Army.
For the conspicuous act of bravery Major Sanjay Chauhan was awarded the Shaurya Chakra which is the Nation’s third highest award in face of the enemy.
The Government of Himachal Pradesh installed a statue of Major Sanjay Chauhan, Shaurya Chakra in the main crossing of Solan as a tribute and testimony to the rich and brave legacy of the Officer who did the Nation proud by his selfless actions. In September 2020, the Statue was relocated to the entrance of Solan Cantt as the road on which it was initially installed was undergoing widening.
To quote the famous American author Francis Marion Crawford “They fell, but o’er their glorious graves, floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.”
We pay homage to Major Sanjay Chauhan, Shaurya Chakra. You shall forever remain in our hearts and memories and will always be a source of inspiration to all of us. Our prayers for your Eternal Peace.
About the Author
Lt Col JS Sodhi retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army and is an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla and IIT Kanpur. He is a M.Tech in Structures has also done MBA and LL.B and is a prolific writer and a public speaker. He features in the World Book of Records, London and the India Book of Records for his media contributions. He Tweets at @JassiSodhi24. The views expressed are personal.
Col KG Bava being awarded the Shaurya Chakra by R. Venkatraman, the President of India
Ernest Hemingway quote “Courage is grace under pressure” fits Colonel Kishore Geer Bava, Shaurya Chakra who performed beyond the call of duty under inhospitable terrain and inclement weather to fulfil the mission that he had been tasked to do.
Bava was born on July 17, 1960 in Kamlapur which is in district Gulbarga of the Indian state of Karnataka to Gulab Geer and Premila. His father was a teacher and mother a home maker.
Bava did his class 12th from SB College, Gulbarga. He then went on to do his civil engineering from Basveshwar Engineering College, Bagalkote. After completing his engineering, he worked as a lecturer in an Engineering College in Latur, Maharashtra for a year.
Bava then join the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in 1985 and in 1986 was commissioned as an Officer in the Bombay Sappers of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army.
As a young captain, Bava in early 1990, was posted as the Officer-in-Charge of 333 Platoon which was part of 53 Road Construction Company (RCC) in the Project Beacon of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of the Indian Army in the Kashmir Valley. He was entrusted with the work of maintenance, improvement and strengthening of the strategically important National Highway IA Srinagar- Baramulla-Uri Road.
Militancy had erupted in the Kashmir Valley in 1990 and there was mayhem all around with immense death and destruction taking place.
In the sensitive area of 53 RCC, the militants were highly active. It was difficult to motivate and put the men and machinery on the road without problems. The magnitude of the problems was further accentuated as the militants started attacking the BRO personnel at their camp sites and during moves in vehicles/ convoys.
The residual moral of the BRO personal was shattered after the organisation lost a few lives at the hands of the militants in the area. Under those circumstances and analysing the significance of his mission, Captain Bava meticulously planned, reorganized and mobilised his resources skilfully amidst heavy odds in trying conditions unmindful of his own safety and comfort. He always remained with his men, despite the fact that he escaped a few attacks on his life by the militants as they perceived him as an obstacle in the furtherance of their nefarious designs.
In July 1990, Captain KG Bava was entrusted with the additional task of construction of the Army Aviation base in Sharifabad near Srinagar, a task of operational significance which was to be completed by November 1990. He took up the challenge and organised his men and material and proceeded with professional competence and dogged determination to execute the task on schedule despite hostile environment in which he and his men were deployed without any security cover.
On October 20, 1990 Captain KG Bava was caught in a dreaded ambush on Jammu- Kashmir bypass in the evening while he was returning with spare parts for his Marshall plant. The occupants of the vehicles of the convoy were panic stricken. Even after witnessing numerous bullets hitting his vehicle, Captain KG Bava remained calm and composed and without any further loss of time he managed to disengage his convoy skilfully.
Inspired by his personal example, resolute courage, dogged determination and devotion to duty, his subordinates got motivated to work courageously against heavy odds and accomplish the operational task within a record time. The call of duty and service to the motherland were the prime motivating factors for Capt KG Bava to work round the clock as the operational task given was of immense national importance
Captain KG Bava, thus, displayed outstanding and meritorious capabilities of man management, technical skill, professional competence and great valour.
For this talent and professional act under tough and trying circumstances, Captain KG Bava was awarded with Shaurya Chakra, which is India’s third highest gallantry award during peacetime.
The Army Aviation base constructed by Captain (later Colonel) KG Bava, SC in Sharifabad would later go on to play an important role in curbing terrorism in the Kashmir Valley.
Colonel KG Bava, Shaurya Chakra retired from the Indian Army in 2018 and is settled in Pune and does social service in the benefit of humanity.
Our salute and respect to Col KG Bava, SC who has served India with immense dedication and devotion.
Mark Hoover rightly quipped “If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage succeed”.
About the Author
Lt Col JS Sodhi retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army and is an alumnus of NDA, Khadakwasla and IIT Kanpur. He is a M.Tech in Structures has also done MBA and LL.B and is a prolific writer and a public speaker. He features in the World Book of Records, London and the India Book of Records for his media contributions. He Tweets at @JassiSodhi24. The views expressed are personal.
