SAPTA SHAKTI COMMAND HOSTS SEMINAR ON “THE CHINA CHALLENGE ”

Jaipur : The Gyan Shakti Think Tank (GSTT), under the aegis of Sapta Shakti Command, organised an insightful seminar titled “The China Challenge” at Jaipur Military Station. The event was graced by Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh, Army Commander, Sapta Shakti Command. Eminent speakers, including Lieutenant General SL Narasimhan (Retd), Ambassador Gautam Bambawale, Ambassador Satish Mehta and Ms Elizabeth Roche, Professor of International Relations at Jindal University, shared valuable perspectives on the subject.

    The seminar examined India’s relationship with China amid the latter’s rapid economic growth, rising military capabilities, advancing technological superiority and expanding manufacturing prowess in both civilian and defence sectors. These developments are enabling China to shift the balance of power in its favour. The panel highlighted China’s growing footprint in India’s neighbourhood and beyond, compounded by India’s reliance on it for critical minerals and prevailing geopolitical uncertainties. The speakers presented compelling facts and statistics to support their analyses while suggesting strategies to counter China’s expanding influence.

    Established by Sapta Shakti Command in November 2024, the Gyan Shakti Think Tank serves as a noble initiative to integrate knowledge, domain expertise and cutting-edge technological advancements. Its participants include veterans with extensive experience, industry leaders, academia and premier technical institutions of the nation.

    To date, GSTT has conducted numerous seminars, exhibitions and symposia on key topics, including “Atmanirbharta in Defence Manufacturing: Opportunities in Rajasthan”, “India’s Journey: Charting the Path to Viksit Bharat”, “Contribution of Veterans in Nation Building”, sessions on geostrategic developments in India’s neighbourhood and contemporary economic and industrial trends. The Think Tank has significantly enhanced military-civilian coordination, fostered innovation, promoted technology absorption &defence manufacturing and advanced Atmanirbharta in support of a whole-of-nation approach towards Viksit Bharat.

    In his closing remarks, the Army Commander emphasised the need to remain updated on geopolitical and economic developments in the region, particularly those discussed in the seminar. He noted that interactions with such a distinguished panel—comprising former Ambassadors to China, Pakistan, Kuwait, Nepal & Bhutan, a former Defence Attaché to China and renowned academicians would greatly enrich the understanding of young leaders within the formation on international affairs. He expressed gratitude to the panelists for their time and insights.

    This seminar marks another milestone in strengthening national development, security and capacity building, further propelling India’s journey towards securing its rightful place on the global stage.