The Significance of 2020 in the Sino-Indian Context

The article looks at the implications of Hu Jintao’s speech at the 18th Party Congress regarding the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) military modernization programme and analyses the significance of 2020 as a key timeline in the speech. Drawing from the previous biennial National Defense papers and significant statements of the Chinese leadership, it assesses the modernization plan of the PLA’s four services in the Sino- Indian context and the probable capabilities that each service is likely will develop by 2020. The analysis covers the training, education, logistics and development of weapons and equipment by the PLA. This would enable Indian planners to assess the PLA capabilities and capacity as also temper own modernization plans to deter a possible China threat by 2020.