The People's Liberation Army: a threat to India?

Abstract

Since the death of Mao Tse-tung, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has undergone a modernisation process in line with its changed strategic doctrine. The shift from ‘people’s war' to ‘limited war under high-tech conditions’ has seen a reduction in army personnel, selected weapons purchases, combined arms operations training and greater force projection. China's neighbours—particularly India—have felt threatened by these changes. This paper argues, however, that the PLA's military capabilities should not be exaggerated as its modernisation has met with many problems and it does not necessarily reflect an aggressive intent. While the PLA has overall superiority with respect to Indian forces, the latter currently appears to have the edge with respect to conventional forces along their disputed border. Moreover, China's strategic attention appears to be more concentrated on the Taiwan Straits and the South China Sea.