Veteran Col RS Sidhu, Sena Medal, is a postgraduate in History from Delhi University. He is a decorated war veteran, with 29 years of military service. Post service with the Army he has worked for more than a decade in the Education/ Hospitality/ Corporate Life Skills & Leadership Training sectors. He has authored two books Success from being mad on entrepreneur ventures by veterans, and Elephant on the high Himalayas on India-China discourse. His articles on strategic and geopolitical affairs have been published in reputed service and defence think tank journals. Col RS Sidhu also enjoys yoga and deep meditation and is passionate about offbeat adventures.
Elephant on the high Himalayas is available at: https://www.amazon.in/dp/163873657X
https://notionpress.com/read/elephant-on-the-high-himalayas
Col RS Sidhu’s Blog-Elephant on the high Himalayas: https://valleysandvalour.blogspot.com/2021/04/synopsis-elephant-onthe-high-himalayas.html
Elephant on the high Himalayas gives a fascinating insight as to how India has witnessed a monumental clash between Bharat (the new India) and China. The outcome of these clashes shall set the geostrategic discourse for the world at a large. Bharat-China rivalry and how it would shape up in the 21st century. A clash between the two oldest civilizations Bharat & China together representing over one third of all humanity. Col RS Sidhu has very strategically laid out the book into three parts comprising 6 chapters.
1. Historical context
2. Current Standoff
3. Future Portends
Let us dive into the book
‘’The Battles of the Mind are more difficult to win and have a longer lasting impact than the physical war.”
The book, ‘Elephant on the high Himalayas’ starts with a fictional story of Bharat that is “India conceiving and launching a short and sharp proactive operation to neutralize the threat of two front war from China and Pakistan’’. The book will take the readers down the memory lane co-relating it to the current face-off between Bharat & China and how Bharat is handling a confrontationist China, to a lack of strategic culture in the corridors of power of the South block.
Col RS Sidhu writes about how the faceoff in May 2020 between China & India in Northern Ladakh would be remembered as the second most defining moment when it comes to the relationship between the two countries while first being the 1962 war, the way the actions took place and how consequences are still unfolding which led to the activation of geopolitical forces.
Understanding China’s Vulnerabilities
China’s core interest being the economy as on date and in order to fuel the economy they need energy which comes from outside the country, further Col RS Sidhu highlighting the key aspects:
1. Safety and security of Maritime shipping life line, where their entire energy resources are brought in.
2. Safety of their core-political core & economical core china are along the eastern coastline and to defend that core they start running out their activities in the Maritime regions of the South China Sea and the East China Sea and the key issues are emerging from there, conflicts with other 11 Maritime neighbours.
Col RS Sidhu presents an insightful reasoning and a strategy as to how the Indian government can go about imposing it to tackle China, knowing how the Chinese think and act, “the Chinese want to win the war without entering a decisive battle” Col RS Sidhu states.
The book talks in great detail about how the Chinese are vulnerable, and to know who China’s allies are when they talk of a two front warfare against India, if India challenges the vulnerabilities we can combat them with a swift battle also explaining about the expansion policies of China and how they aim to expand their power primarily with a view to carry out an overwhelming import on the opponents.
“Strategic vulnerabilities of a nation are the natural targets for an opponent”, Col RS Sidhu.
During the India-China face off, the Lutyens media was seen spreading propaganda with vested interests and this book comes at the right time which presents the actual facts to the common people.
Col RS Sidhu brings a fresh perspective holistically covering the entire geopolitical scenario, the title in itself brings in a fascinating perspective, title: Elephant on the high Himalayas, referring to, at what point of time did the elephant come down and at what point of time does the elephant go back up which indicates- “resurrecting Bharat to faceoff china’’.
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Also indicating that only strengthening diplomatic, military aspects of international relations is not the only concern but also the war taking place in the hidden spectrum and how an individual along with society also needs to change and raise their voice.
The policies were only changed after people raised their voices on social media. Centre has now brought the defence to the front during the leadership of PM Modi, Military has been leading the talks from the front.
Bharat-China faceoff 2020
“You have not explored the frontiers of your full potential if you have not been called Mad at least once in your life.”
The Book enlightens the readers about an incisive analysis of the 2020 India-China faceoff in Ladakh and how the discourse between the two countries and how the conflict is shaping up the future also highlighting another aspect of the war on social media- the cyber space & the internal security spectrum also comprising a vision to revive Bharat and present a detailed way out to counter China in the longer run.
“The hallmark of a natural born leader is the ability under stress to transcend the barriers of fear and conventional wisdom, alike, in undertaking actions capable of causing geostrategic ripples beyond intended space and time.”
Last part of the book talks about how in the 21st century, the influence of Bharat-China rivalry and how the end result would shape the upcoming future of the two countries, ending the book with providing a significant aspect where it explores the geostrategic portends in Asia during 2020-2025 period.
Col RS Sidhu dedicates this book to
– His course mates, the ‘silver warriors’ as they are called, have been together for almost 40 years since their training in the Officers’ training academy in Chennai
– To the young professionals Col RS Sidhu came across on social media while the research and the social media campaign.
Colonel Sidhu has painstakingly gone through China’s policies, its intentions and capabilities and provided a set of policy options that need to be carefully examined. This book forms a significant value addition to our understanding of the subject.
For more insight on Col Sidhu’s previous book, “success from being mad”, visit: https://valleysandvalour.blogspot.com/2021/04/isbn9781649517050-story-is-born-urge-to.html
[author title=”Shefali Kochhar,” image=”http://goachronicle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Screenshot_20210321-160233_LinkedIn.jpg”]Journalist, Goa Chronicle .
I am an entrepreneur who has tried her hands on various ventures like Electric Vehicle Charging Station , Online Retail Store / Trading and few more ventures. I have done my entrepreneurship from Amity University Noida.
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