by Krishna Chaitanya

Defence Diplomacy is not yet broadly defined but it can be understood as the peaceful employment of defence resources and capabilities to achieve positive outcomes in forging country's bilateral and multilateral relationships with all possible powers across the world.Defence diplomacy is not only about military operations it also includes international personal exchanges, Ships and Aircraft visits,high level engagements at Minister Level and senior defence personnel, bilateral meetings and staff talks, training and exercises,regional defence forums, outreach, confidence & security building measures and non-proliferation activities that aims to dispel hostility,to build and maintain trust in order to prevent the conflicts arising out of frictions between the countries on wide range of issues. 

As far as concerned India well from its part by engaging with all the powers in order to secure its interests by holding informal summits like Wuhan,Sochi,

Joining Quad to latest defence outreach to China, making port calls to Indonesia, participating in exercises like Pitch Black, RIMPAC, Blue-flag and holding Joint bilateral exercises with Vietnam,Japan and trilateral exercises like Malabar with Japan,USA.Initiatives like BIMSTEC, ISA along with France, group meetings with Japan and Australia.having LEMOA with USA, strategic pact with France and Singapore, MOU on military cooperation with Oman.

Extending a supportive hand in Cooperating over development projects within its neighbourhood in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. India did pretty well through its initiatives but it still faces tough challenges in the form of China Which shows at-most hostility on the ties between both the countries like blocking NSG entry, efforts to sanction terrorists,making vain promises on trade,making provocative moves at borders,making rhetoric statements through state media to strain the ties between two countries.

The upcoming visit of Chinese Defence Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe is important for both in building trust between the two and assuring not to repeat Doklam like incidents in future. As it has at most importance India should keep vigilant at the borders to not witness any Chinese aggression inside Indian boundary as it happens every time when some high level Chinese dignitaries visit leaving Indian leaders in embarrassing situations. India should not let Chinese to scuttle this august agenda like they always do by sending their troops inside Indian territory and showing provocative stances. China had become a biggest Challenge for Indian defence diplomacy par now it requires greater knowledge and far greater wisdom to keep a check to the Chinese aggression.

Krishna Chaitanya is a Defence and Strategic Analyst. Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of IDN. IDN does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same