The situation in Afghanistan can deteriorate resulting in more turmoil, says India's Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, and China could potentially "step into Afghanistan" in times to come.

Speaking at the India International Centre Wednesday evening, Gen Rawat said, “What is going to happen in Afghanistan, only time will tell. Let us wait and watch whether everything is moving the way people thought they will move.”

“Nobody thought that the Taliban will take over the country so fast. What is going to happen in the future? You don’t know what is likely to happen in the future. There could be more turmoil and more changes, which cannot as of now be anticipated,” he said.

Speaking about the changing world global geopolitical scenario, he said, “We are seeing some kind of a jointmanship between the Sinic and Islamic civilisations. You can see China now making friends with Iran, they are moving towards Turkey… And they will step into Afghanistan in the years to come…. Is that going to lead to a clash of civilisations with the Western civilisation?” The world, he said, is in “turmoil”.

China’s rise, he said, “happened faster than people envisaged”. 

“We are heading back to a bipolar or multipolar world,” Gen Rawat said.

“What we are certainly seeing is more aggression on the part of nations. Specially, the one that is trying to go into the bipolar world, and making its presence felt, that is China. They are becoming more and more aggressive and we share land borders with them. Therefore, it is time for to start looking at our strategies, as to how we are going to deal with two borders, which are aggressive neighbours, adversaries. Pakistan on the western front and China on the north.”

Speaking about Pakistan, he said, it will continue to create proxy war in India, and will “will keep expanding the zone of proxy”. Today, he said, “we find it happening in J&K, they are attempting Punjab once again. And are trying to spread their wings in other parts of our country… They are in fact a proxy of our northern adversary, that is China.”

Regarding China, the CDS said, “They have shown aggression on the east coast, on the South China Sea, with nations in that area, and they are likely to show aggression on our northern border. Whether it happens in the form of direct aggression or in the form of technology, we have to be prepared.”

Gen Rawat said India needs to “start looking at transformation for the betterment, and ensuring that the national security architecture that we want to evolve, is capable of dealing with the threats we are seeing”, For all this, “some kind of jointmanship, some kind of integration among all the security forces” is needed. “Security is now not just related to security of the borders, it is all encompassing, it is food security, health security, you’ve got to ensure your economy is protected.”

 All organisations of a nation, he said, “must work together, at least those which are responsible for the security of the nation”. He said jointmanship is not just needed between the forces, but also with the paramilitary and civilian organisations.