A development which we should not ignore. But I believe we have the defence potential to match and also exceed the Pakistani armed forces acquired capabilities.
This is not an bolt from the blue. The Chinese objective of trying to pin down India to South Asia and fuel an arms race between India and Pakistan was long known.
They will try to bolster all three arms of Pakistan, namely the Army, Air Force and Navy.
Probably drawing inspiration from the erstwhile strategy of the United States to hyphenate India and Pakistan in South Asia. Treating both as equal when the reality was that India always had far greater potential for growth vis-a-vis Pakistan.
The Americans have realised their folly and changed course during the last decade but the Chinese probably are enamoured by this expired policy.
The Western block led by the US cannot ignore the continued build up of Pakistan's military capability enabled by the Chinese. Pakistan already has capability to launch medium range ballistic missiles which probably can reach most parts of India. Courtesy Chinese help. It is not totally improbable that Islamabad might in the future be provided technical help to develop ICBM's. If they manage to develop capability to strike Europe or even parts of the US, then the mad Mullah-Military combine will prove difficult for the US to control. Since the Pakis already have nuclear weapons which can be mated with the missiles. No one can guarantee that Pakistan will not proliferate the technology to Muslim countries in West Asia. Getting money in return.
Cheap Middle East oil could simply not be available anymore. And also the reality of the increased danger to Israel's existence.
Maybe Washington would choose balkanisation of Pakistan in order to prevent Islamabad from posing an danger to the rest of the world.
Coming to the specific threat from Rocket Artillery due to Chinese help to Pakistan, though our Pinaka mk1, Pinaka mk2 and Smerch are effective, an indigenous 300mm or 300mm plus rocket artillery programme is needed. We presently do not have any indigenous MBRL in the 300mm class. The technology is well within our reach. After having developed almost the entire range of ballistic missiles.
But it is not necessary to mimic the Chinese and develop an equivalent to every one of their long range rocket artillery systems. We should follow our own strategy.
The proposed sale of the Bhramos missile to the Philippines is a good step. Vietnam should be our next customer. Arming the South East Asian countries with lethal weapons would make them more capable of resisting Chinese bullying.
Two can play the game. If the Chinese want to raise the costs in South Asia for us, we can also raise the costs for them in their neighbourhood. We need to urgently develop long range fully indigenous subsonic (or supersonic) cruise missiles having ranges of upto 1500 km. Also the entire range of subsonic stealthy anti ship missiles including short, medium and long range. But fully indigenous which can be exported freely. Which can then be supplied to countries like Vietnam. Expanding nuclear cooperation with Vietnam is also desirable. They should have their own nuclear weapons capability. Did not the Chinese nuclear arm the North Koreans.
Hope we become able to fully design and manufacture an indigenous non nuclear submarine with AIP which can be exported to countries in China's neighbourhood.
We need to dramatically increase cooperation with the Japanese Navy because they have the potential to seriously challenge the PLAN.
Our defence capabilities are not staying static. The new 800 km Brahmos land attack variant can probably strike Pakistan's Gwadar Port even when fired from the Indian mainland. Probably when fired from Gujarat. Just one example. I am sure that we will find an answer to each one of Pakistan's newly acquired weapons.