This is a wide-ranging interview conducted via video a little over a month ago by Dr. Stephen Hsu, Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science & Engineering at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA, for his ‘Manifold ‘ podcast No. 46.
Senior Fellow in National Security Studies at the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, he was Member of the (1st) National Security Advisory Board and the Nuclear Doctrine-drafting Group, and author, among other books of, 'Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy', 'India's Nuclear Policy' and most recently, 'Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet)'. Educated at the University of California (undergrad and grad), he was Visiting Scholar at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies, and Henry L. Stimson Center, Washington, DC.
Dear Bharat Karnad,It was such a pleasure to know that you are from Military School Belgaum. I am from Bangalore!I have been an ardent admirer of yours over the years, had opportunity to listen to many seminars where you were a key speaker.Please connect with me on mobile.RegardsMaj Gen Yash Mor8120024448
In the murky world of geopolitics no country is a saint. The Chinese really don’t have much to gain by unnecessarily making India an enemy, when China is competing with US.
Maybe the 2020 border clash between China and India was sparked by the Indian side. India is playing the victim card here as usual while in reality being the culprit.
Mr. Karnad, are you aware of the military analyst Pravin Sawhney? Apart from you, he is the only other Indian analyst that is unafraid to expose the ‘comprehensive national power’ disparity between China and India. Do you agree with Mr. Sawhney’s views; in particular his views on 4th industrial revolution, AI and cyber warfare?
Professor, the problem with Sawhney is that he hypes up China’s capabilities and hypes down India’s capabilities. Some of his opinions are downright factually incorrect. For example, in one of his videos he averred that Pakistan was buying J20s when in fact it was J10-Cs. I view him very skeptically! He also seems to have an axe to grind with the Indian military which views him poorly.
A non-Indian interested in Sino-Indian relations. says:
In a sense, both Pravin Sawhney and yourself are absolute realists and base analysis on absolute hard power realities. Sawhney seems unconvinced of India’s current trajectory to ‘handle’ China due to the PLA’s insurmountable advantages in AI and cyber warfare capabilities. Like yourself, he also correctly points out the extreme industrial military complex disparity between the two countries. A potential debate/conversation between yourselves would be a dream come true for military watchers.
To “A non-Indian interested in Sino-Indian relations.”:
Pravin Sawhney is a professional whiner and malcontent. Even a Cassandra is more of a realist than him. The only people who watch his channel are Pakistanis – just check the comments section.
Oh dear! So many Indians have the habit of self flagellation when conversing with Westerners, all in the name of pragmatic verisimilitude. It is worse so when the person in question is of Chinese origin. China keeps the border alive, not because it has contempt for India and Indians but for reasons that resonate with their political interests. One is Pakistan and the BRI. The CCP understands that the initiative for action lies with them. Though Aksai Chin was taken by force India has no realistic plans to regain it. China’s military moves at the border is aimed at pinning down the substantive part of India’s armed forces so as to ease pressure on Pakistan whose leverage with the CCP is the BRI.
Security Wise 
Dear Bharat Karnad,It was such a pleasure to know that you are from Military School Belgaum. I am from Bangalore!I have been an ardent admirer of yours over the years, had opportunity to listen to many seminars where you were a key speaker.Please connect with me on mobile.RegardsMaj Gen Yash Mor8120024448
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
In the murky world of geopolitics no country is a saint. The Chinese really don’t have much to gain by unnecessarily making India an enemy, when China is competing with US.
Maybe the 2020 border clash between China and India was sparked by the Indian side. India is playing the victim card here as usual while in reality being the culprit.
What India will gain from conflict with China? First of all, india is not militarily ready for a conflict and Indian leadership is well aware of it.
Doordarshan@ — Yes, and maybe a cow is a goat!
So Mr. Karnad did you get your degree from UCLA or dropped out without graduating?
Got MA, got past my PhD qualifiers and then…quit!
Mr. Karnad, are you aware of the military analyst Pravin Sawhney? Apart from you, he is the only other Indian analyst that is unafraid to expose the ‘comprehensive national power’ disparity between China and India. Do you agree with Mr. Sawhney’s views; in particular his views on 4th industrial revolution, AI and cyber warfare?
Yes, Sawhney, ex-artillery officer. But he seems convinced India can’t handle China! AI-Cyber is a revolution alright.
Professor, the problem with Sawhney is that he hypes up China’s capabilities and hypes down India’s capabilities. Some of his opinions are downright factually incorrect. For example, in one of his videos he averred that Pakistan was buying J20s when in fact it was J10-Cs. I view him very skeptically! He also seems to have an axe to grind with the Indian military which views him poorly.
In a sense, both Pravin Sawhney and yourself are absolute realists and base analysis on absolute hard power realities. Sawhney seems unconvinced of India’s current trajectory to ‘handle’ China due to the PLA’s insurmountable advantages in AI and cyber warfare capabilities. Like yourself, he also correctly points out the extreme industrial military complex disparity between the two countries. A potential debate/conversation between yourselves would be a dream come true for military watchers.
To “A non-Indian interested in Sino-Indian relations.”:
Pravin Sawhney is a professional whiner and malcontent. Even a Cassandra is more of a realist than him. The only people who watch his channel are Pakistanis – just check the comments section.
Oh dear! So many Indians have the habit of self flagellation when conversing with Westerners, all in the name of pragmatic verisimilitude. It is worse so when the person in question is of Chinese origin. China keeps the border alive, not because it has contempt for India and Indians but for reasons that resonate with their political interests. One is Pakistan and the BRI. The CCP understands that the initiative for action lies with them. Though Aksai Chin was taken by force India has no realistic plans to regain it. China’s military moves at the border is aimed at pinning down the substantive part of India’s armed forces so as to ease pressure on Pakistan whose leverage with the CCP is the BRI.