Indian Army generals, it seems, are partial to well-written books. And, General Manoj Mukund Naravane (retired) is no exception. His keen interest in books is only rivalled by his fondness for golf. As he walks around the well-manicured lawn of his unmarked residence inside New Delhi’s military campus, Naravane talks of his action-packed tenure as Army chief between December 2019 and April 2022. His tenure saw the sudden escalation of border tensions with China that led to the June 2020 Galwan incident and subsequently to a massive rebalancing of forces. He was also in the thick of the ceasefire pact with Pakistan and had to deal with an invisible enemy—Covid. Post retirement, Naravane is reading a lot more than before, speaking at events related to the military and strategic affairs besides attending to matters familial. Excerpts from a freewheeling interview:
Q/There is the spectre of a twofront war and you have spoken about the lack of a National Security Strategy, which has hampered Indian military’s theaterisation effort. In this backdrop, what are our primary threats and challenges?
A/ It is obvious that we face threats both on our western and northern borders because of the unsettled nature of the boundary. Now while the threats are constant, their priority keeps changing based on many factors, including the global environment, the relationship with the government or leadership in power on the other side, the economic situation, and so on. It is a dynamic affair, and accordingly the country’s military strategy keeps changing.
Esta historia es de la edición February 26, 2023 de THE WEEK India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición February 26, 2023 de THE WEEK India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.