EVENTS

Abstract        

The ‘Second Artillery’, or the guardian of China’s missile force, has undergone characteristic changes in the last few decades. These are due to doctrinal modifications and revisions, which are based on the Chinese vision of global power and are being realized through systematic planning, and sophisticated new approaches to fighting wars. The strategic incorporation of ‘Dual Deterrence and Dual Operations’ is a masterstroke, which transforms the ‘Second Artillery’  from being solely a nuclear deterrent force for counterstrike, to an aggressive force with potent precession strike capabilities, achieved, through the smart amalgamation of  the conventional warheads with the nuclear missile. This strategic maneuver intensifies the Second Artillery’s potency as a strike force, imbuing it with reliable and lethal conventional strike capabilities, in a transformed ‘Local War Construct’ scenario. This is all part of the Chinese stratagem of creating an informationized military. In the larger context, winning such informationized wars can be viewed as methodical steps along the path of achieving the ’China Dream’, which is to become a leading force through its strong economic and military capabilities by 2049 – in which year, the People's Republic of China (PRC) will mark its centenary. When seen from this perspective, the Second Artillery undoubtedly plays a major role in the recalibration of the global power nexus. The development of its diverse warheads, in conjunction with the quantitative and qualitative improvement of its old and new delivery systems, provide China with a platform, whereby she can achieve her ambitions of global dominance. Hence these modernization trends are a cause of concern to all the regional countries. Thus understanding these trends will be necessary for successfully culling out a strategy to deal with a resurgent and confident China.

About the Speaker

Dr. Roshan Khanijo is Senior Research Fellow at the United Service Institution (USI) of India. She is a strategic analyst specializing in ‘Nuclear Issues’. Her areas of interest are China and Pakistan. She has been a panelist in nuclear discussions and presented paper in CSIS, Beijing, and in RINSA, South Korea. She has authored a book - “Complexities and Challenges of Nuclear India” and authored a Monograph- “Iran Nuclear Conundrum”. She was a member of the study team conducting a “Net Assessment” on China and South Asia namely “War Waging Potential of China” and “Strategic Balance in South Asia”. She did a project on the “Net Assessment of Pakistan”. She is a visiting professor at the Jindal International University.