India has to factor in assertiveness of China: CDS

CHIEF of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Thursday said China's assertiveness is more evident now with its rise and that India will have to take this aspect into account in its overall strategic calculus.

- 

Delivering the annual General KV Krishna Rao memorial lecture, India's senior-most military officer said the country's strategic autonomy should be towards exploiting opportunities. "While the global geopolitical environment is in transition, India has transitioned from non-alignment to self-alignment," said the CDS, referring to India's "major dispute" along the northern borders with China.

"The strategic autonomy may be relevant to exploit opportunities rather than taking care of your threats. That's where the future should lie. We should be thinking about opportunities more," he said.

"This comes with a little bit of a caveat because of the northern neighbour. In this strategic calculus, India will have to take into account the emergence of China as a major power," said the CDS.