India should adopt deterrent policy with neighbors

For:

1. In the last few years, India has become very defensive in its approach towards neighbors. Due to this, neighboring countries have taken India for granted. 
2. China in last five years has time and again intruded deep into our territory. The tone and tenor of reply from India’s side has been on the lower side suggesting defensiveness. But now, India needs to become much more demanding in spirit and action. 
3. Repeated aggressive statements from Pakistan on India are the testimony of the fact that India’s deterrence policy in last five years was misplaced. 
4. India should take the advantage of its soft power at international level and talk tough as far as national security is concerned. 
5. Aggressive posturing can also be done by increasing the frequency of joint military exercises to communicate India’s seriousness on border issues.

Against:

1. South Asia in general and Indian subcontinent in particular are regions of long-standing complex disputes. Undoubtedly, it’s a sensitive region. 
2. In a region where countries have nuclear weapons, any kind of above - threshold tension can have very serious consequences, adversely affecting peace process. 
3. India’s policy should aim at confidence building measures among neighbors rather than deterrence. People to people connect and inter-cultural exchanges should be encouraged. 
4. Any country’s aggression in its foreign policy discourse can spill over to other areas like economic ties. Cross – border trade and investment can take a back-seat adversely affecting the life of millions. 
5. Moreover, India’s aggression towards countries like Nepal and Srilanka can boomerang. These countries can go much closer to China in the absence of peaceful relations with India. In fact, this is what China wants so that they could increase their clout and have upper hand over India in the region.