Exclusive interview with hero of 26/11 retd Brigadier Govind Singh Sisodia on Galwan faceoff

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, retd Brigadier Govind Singh Sisodia on the issue of Galwan faceoff said that Modi government has played a key role in replying the Chinese troops in their own language. Centre has given emergency powers to the Indian Army which will boost the morale of the soldiers, claims Singh.

New Delhi: China on Wednesday again accused India of provoking a border clash earlier this month that left at least 20 soldiers dead but urged New Delhi to “meet China halfway” in restoring peace and stability along their disputed frontier high in the Himalayas. The clash was the deadliest between the two countries in 45 years. India said 20 of its soldiers died. China has not released any information on casualties on its side.

Retired Brigadier Govind Singh Sisodia an officer served in the army for 34 years and as a Black Cat Commando deployed during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

ETV Bharat tries to figure out the reasons for and implications of the recent faceoff.

Question: What is the main reason behind the violent clash escalated by China?

Answer- China has its policies and compulsions. After Xi Jinping took the charge of President, their policies regarding the expansion of the country have been changed immensely. As China shares the maximum number of neighbours touching its border, it always has a tendency to capture those neighbouring countries which are smaller and weaker in terms of economical conditions. The 14 countries touching its border are- India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal.

China pays a huge amount of loan to the countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. The Chinese government knows that these countries would not able to pay the debt and hence they got trapped. Talking about Pakistan, they are in the pocket of the Chinese government. They thought India could be captured in the way they have captured some parts of Nepal and Bhutan.

Ques: Is there any chance of war between the two nuclear-equipped countries?

Ans- No. I don't think there is any chance of escalating a full-fledged war between the two countries. In case, any war escalates between India and China, it will last for months.

Ques: Will the United States interfere in the matter? or will they join the war, if escalated?

Ans: Presently, the US have been deploying its soldiers towards South- China sea. It has two meanings, either the US would involve in the war physically or would favour New Delhi indirectly by maintaining pressure on the Chinese and Pakistan governments. Moreover, other countries like Australia and France are also joining India, which means China would be isolated if they escalate any war with New Delhi.

Ques: How do you rate the Modi government in terms of handling the recent clash?

Ans: I think the centre has played a major role in boosting the morale of the soldiers. If you minutely go through the statement of PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, you will notice that their stance is pretty clear. They have given the emergency powers to the Indian Army, which means if Chinese troops escalate any trouble, New Delhi will definitely reply befittingly.