By 2035, China is proposing to ensure "modernisation" of its military, experts have stated here.
On the same line, by circa 2049, PLA aims achieve the status of “world-class military” for itself.
China aims to transform the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a fully modernised, "world-class" military force.
This milestone would mark the completion of key modernization goals, focusing on "intelligentized" warfare— combining Artificial Intelligence, big data, and advanced technology to secure regional dominance.
Projections suggest China could possess over 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, with rapid growth in ICBMs, advanced bombers, and Type 94 SSBNs to enhance second-strike capabilities.
The PLA also has plans for enhanced 'global operations'. They are now trying to build up the capabilities to achieve these milestones.
Post-Galwan conflict in 2020; PLA also displayed numerous robots - may be in thousands - conducting operations. This means India as its neighbour in Asia will have to take note of these developments more sincerely.
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| Modi-Xi : Informal Summit 2019 |
Chinese president Xi Jinping has strengthened his personal hold over the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the CCP over the years. China's growing expansionism in the region and beyond with an aggressive posture throughout the South China Sea (SCS) and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) have raised concerns.
Crucial Pointers:
* The growth of PLA has alarmed the US and the western powers, as this erodes the military edge that Americans had since the end of the Cold War.
:: However, though the PLA is still far behind the US in terms of technological integration and force projection; its fast modernization and growth is able to close the so-called 'huge gap'.
*** China's defense budget grew by 71% over the course of ten years, from $131 billion in 2013 to $224 billion in 2023.
-- “People’s War under Modern Conditions” was the doctrine adopted by China in 1977 in the post-Mao era.
It was based on positional defence.
The China–Vietnam War resulted in the doctrine being changed to “Local Wars under Modern Conditions”.
The PLA very closely observed the Gulf War of 1991 and how the U.S. orchestrated that war from home.
The PLA realised it was short on capabilities to fight such a war, and in 1993 changed its doctrine to “Local Wars under Modern High-Tech Conditions”.
By 2023 and 2024, the Pentagon highlighted specific advances: China possessed the world’s largest navy and “leading hypersonic missile arsenal,” having invested heavily in conventional and nuclear-armed hypersonic glide vehicles.
The PLA is fielding ever more capable fighter aircraft (including stealth J-20s), new combat drones, modern armor and artillery, and expanding power-projection platforms like aircraft carriers and large amphibious ships.
China’s third aircraft carrier was launched in 2022, and the PLA Navy “aims to produce six aircraft carriers by 2035 for a total of nine” flat-tops.
India understands all that and is thus responding by modernizing its armed forces, improving border infrastructure, and enhancing naval capabilities.
New Delhi is also relying on partnerships like the Quad to address the shifting security dynamics.
The Indian Army is moving to equip 380 infantry battalions with Ashni drone platoons.
Each platoon is divided into two main elements: a strike section and a surveillance section equipped with surveillance drones.
The Ashini platoons have been tested in various military exercises including Yudh Kaushal 3.0, Ashni Prahar, and Thar Shakti 2025.
It is quite popular in Indian security/military circles that it takes less time to fight a war than to procure the weapons needed to fight one, because the system for procurement operates very slow.
The Modi Govt has been sensitive about it. Thus it allowed the military to use the Emergency Procurement clause to acquire critical systems.
ends
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