Posted on 09/15/2008 11:40:37 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
India targeting China's oil supplies
By David Blair in New Delhi
15/09/2008
Military planners in India are eyeing a crucial junction of the world which serves as the conduit for 80 per cent of China's imported oil.
The Strait of Malacca, where the Indian Ocean joins the Pacific, is seen as China's Achilles' heel. These shipping lanes, vital for Beijing's energy supplies, could be the setting for any future confrontation between India and China.
The two giant powers are long-standing rivals who share a disputed 2,100-mile border and are waging a diplomatic struggle for influence in Asia. They fought a border war in 1962, which ended in victory for China and left Beijing in control of 16,500 square miles of territory claimed by India.
Both countries are increasing their defence budgets, with India's military spending rising by an average of 18 per cent in each of the past three years and now exceeding £15 billion.
If these tensions were ever to boil over into war, India would probably exploit a crucial advantage. Its navy, which eventually plans to deploy three aircraft carriers and two nuclear-powered attack submarines, would probably seek to close the Strait of Malacca to Chinese shipping through an increased presence. By cutting off the supply of oil, this could cripple China and prove the decisive move in any conflict.
"The most likely flashpoint would be along the border, but ultimately the decision in any war would be on the ocean," said Sheru Thapliyal, a retired Indian general in New Delhi who once commanded a division on the frontier with China.
"The Indian Ocean is where we could use our advantage to the maximum. If you want to choke China, the only way you can choke China is by using naval power."
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I know a lot more about china thank you think, chinese poodle.besides in any war we will be more than willing to help india deal with the slit eyed commies of china
I searched your posts, you very care about Pakistan/China/India. Within the expectation, most of them are meaningless.
lol!!! I had no idea even sites likes FR are now infested by chicom trolls!! Maybe you should worry more abt. your slave people back home.
What would be your opinion on the parts of India claimed by China? Namely Arunachal Pradesh? It’s people are Tibeto-Burman and have never been part of any Chinese empire (not even as vassal kingdoms — which is the basis for China’s claim on Tibet and Xinjiang, that too the former was a vassal during the Mongol dynasty in China).
I am with you on all fronts. Totally agree. We are doing it very timidly by joining the Khaan exercises with Mongolia. We could do more. Also, a port for the Indian Navy to dock in Vietnam would do us a lot of good.
Be nice
Have you read further down thread? I am being nice.
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