cover image: Deependra Singh Hooda Volume IX, Issue 15

Deependra Singh Hooda Volume IX, Issue 15

2 Jul 2024

The national-level JOCC, also known as the CMC JOCC, coordinates the efforts of the five theatre commands to achieve the PLA’s strategic objectives.27 In addition to these reforms, organisational changes have included converting divisions to combined arms brigades, expanding the Special Operations Forces and the Marine Corps, and placing the People's Armed Police under the CMC. [...] In the official announcement, the PLA announced that there are now “four services, namely the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Rocket Force, and four arms, including the Aerospace Force, the Cyberspace Force, the Information Support Force and the Joint Logistics Support Force.”28 The CMC will directly control the ASF, CSF, and ISF. [...] With the US at number 1, the report stated, “China is a second-tier cyber power but, given its growing industrial base in digital technology, it is the state best placed to join the US in the first tier.”54 Not much is known about the detailed role of the newly created ISF, but it is in line with the importance given by the PLA to network information systems. [...] This initiative aims to enhance maritime security and domain awareness in three critical regions in the Indo- Pacific: the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean.73 IPMDA has been operationalised in the first two of these regions, and is expected to be extended to cover the Indian Ocean in the coming months. [...] Findings Looking realistically over the next ten years, the key findings with regard to the capability development of the Chinese and Indian militaries are: At the current pace of defence expenditures, the gap in military spending between the two countries will continue to increase.

Authors

ICRIER-R

Pages
31
Published in
India

Table of Contents