Border Dispute With China Is India’s Biggest Challenge: CDS Anil Chauhan

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 17:38 IST

General Anil Chauhan called the China border dispute India's biggest challenge, cited Pakistan's proxy war, and discussed Op Sindoor and new war domains like cyber and space.

CDS Anil Chauhan (Image: PTI/File photo)

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Friday highlighted that India’s border dispute with China remains one of the biggest challenges for the country.

While addressing a gathering in Gorakhpur, he said that while China’s border dispute remains the biggest challenge, Pakistan’s proxy war against India was the next major issue. He added that Islamabad’s strategy has always been to ‘bleed India by a thousand cuts’.

“Challenges before countries aren’t momentary; they exist in different forms. I think the boundary dispute with China is India’s biggest challenge and will continue to remain so. The second major challenge is Pakistan’s proxy war against India, with a strategy of ‘bleed India by a thousand cuts’," Anil Chauhan told the gathering.

“Another challenge is that the domains of war have changed-it now includes cyber and space. Both of our opponents are nuclear powers, and it will always remain a challenge to decide what kind of operations we want to undertake against them," he added.

Speaking about Operation Sindoor, Chauhan said that the armed forces had full operational freedom during the operation, and the aim was to “draw a red line to our patience".

In May, India targeted terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation against the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

“We had full operational freedom, including planning and selection of targets, during Operation Sindoor. The aim was not to avenge the terrorist attack, but to draw a red line of our patience," he said.

Chauhan added that Operation Sindoor was a multi-domain operation, which included cyber warfare and coordination among military wings.

General Chauhan reached Gorakhpur on Thursday, where he accompanied Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Gorakha War Memorial’s renovation and the Gorkha Museum. He also offered prayers at the Gorakhnath temple.

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