Context: Defence Minister on June 12 approved a revised policy on how India compiles, archives and disseminates its war documents and related history.
As per the new policy,
Once an operation/war is completed, the first cut of history is to be prepared and disseminated for internal circulation within five years.
Whether this first draft of history is to be placed in the public domain or not, will be determined on a case by case basis, depending on the sensitivity of the operation/war.
Predictably, the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat reportrelating to the 1962 war with China, which is still under wraps, will not be part of the new policy. Apparently, another committee will take a view on previous wars.
Carefully shaped narratives about the military defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity are crucial for any political leadership — authoritarian or democratic — and Galwan has special salience for both China and India.
India has interpreted Galwan as a case of Chinese aggressiveness and places the onus on Beijing to restore the status quo.
In China, the incident is being projected as a case of guarding the border and defending the motherland. The incident has been used to stoke pride in military and muscular nationalism domestically.
India’s narrative about Galwan remains opaque and there has been no detailed official statement from the Ministry of Defence on the current tactical situation in Ladakh.
Way Ahead
The Galwan anniversary should encourage the government to set up an independent panel ofexperts to review the institutional lapses that led to an altered LoAC in the Ladakh sector.
Concurrently, Delhi will need to objectively review and anticipate what the PLA may embark upon next.
The incident should encourage government to craft affordable and effective long-term strategic/security policies that are not clouded by political compulsions.
