Episode Summary
In this episode of Interpreting India, host Saheb Singh Chadha is joined by Suyash Desai, nonresident fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, to explore the transformation and challenges facing China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Over the past decade, the PLA has seen rapid changes under Xi Jinping, from sweeping structural reforms to new mobilization and training strategies. But how ready is it really for a conflict over Taiwan? And what do these changes mean for India?
This is the second episode in our special three-part Interpreting China series, based on Views From Taipei, a collection of essays by young Indian scholars on China. Suyash’s essay, The People’s Liberation Army in the 2020s: Buoyed by Reforms, Limited by Roadblocks, serves as the foundation for this wide-ranging conversation.
Episode Notes
Saheb and Suyash begin by laying out where the PLA stands today in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, and the factors driving its evolution. While the PLA has made major strides in modernizing across land, air, sea, space, and cyber, it still struggles with issues like deep-rooted corruption, a lack of well-trained personnel, and delays in meeting its own ambitious goals.
The discussion dives into how the PLA is preparing for a potential Taiwan contingency through new mobilization efforts, localized recruitment (especially in border regions like Tibet), and more frequent joint military exercises. Suyash argues that despite these efforts, the PLA still isn’t ready for a full-scale operation anytime soon.
They also examine China’s changing nuclear posture, including its gradual shift toward a “launch on warning” approach. Even though both India and China adhere to no-first-use policies, new developments in missile systems and strategic signaling are quietly reshaping the region’s security dynamics.
Finally, the episode looks at what all this means for India. With growing military capabilities on both sides, we may be entering a period of “armed coexistence”—a tense, yet controlled standoff that defines the new normal along the India–China border.
