At Singapore Dialogue, CDS Anil Chauhan Calls Disengagement With Pakistan A 'Sound Strategy'

Last Updated:May 31, 2025, 09:59 IST

General Chauhan made the remark during the 22nd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Saturday said that if hostility from Pakistan continues, disengagement from India may be a “sound strategy for now".

General Chauhan made the remark during the 22nd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an annual summit hosted by the Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). He is visiting the country from 30 May to 1 June.

Speaking on the India-Pakistan relationship, the CDS stated, “Now, we are not operating without a strategy."

General Chauhan said that India’s rise over the decades has not been accidental but the result of careful long-term planning. He compared the situation at the time of independence in 1947 with the present day, noting that Pakistan was then ahead of India in key areas like the economy, social development, and per capita income.

“When we gained independence, Pakistan was ahead of us on every metric, social, economic, GDP per capita. Today, India is ahead on all fronts, economic performance, human development, and social harmony, despite our greater diversity," General Chauhan said.

“That didn’t happen by accident; it’s a result of long-term strategy," he added.

The CDS also stressed that India has made several diplomatic efforts to improve ties with Pakistan. He cited the example of 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony.

However, he added that diplomacy must be a two-way effort. “It takes two hands to clap," General Chauhan said. “If all we get in return is hostility, then disengagement may itself be a sound strategy for now."

The Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia’s leading defence and security forum, bringing together defence ministers, military leaders, policy makers, and strategic experts from across the world.

(With inputs from agencies)

Singapore

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