Indian Army ranks best

Satish Singh Manhas
For the past few months since the Galvan valley clash between our army and Chinese army and as a routine also, I always encounter a fake narrative everywhere in social media, TV debates, newspapers etc that our army is the fourth best army in the world. I don’t know who has categorized it and on what basis. Many so called intellectuals, defence experts, journalists are using this narrative even on TV debates. A common man has also taken it for granted that we are the fourth/third best army. But I don’t agree, this being bereft of any logic.
Even a cricket team is categorized first, second, third etc only on the basis of victory, winning series in continuity etc. Same happens to other sports as well. Even the smallest nation in population Australia had been the number one team in the world for many years. Was that on the basis of costly playing kit or more number of probable players, the team had at international level? It is a big NO. So why our army at number 3 or 4. Does our army have won fewer wars as compared to China, Russia, USA etc, again a big No.? China had almost lost most of wars it fought. Our army have won all the wars it had fought. Then how come our army at number 3 or 4. Who created this narrative to give our enemy a psychological advantage? This needs a strong counter. Being carried away by a wrong and baseless narrative is a national inefficiency for which we all are responsible.
This kind of narrative gives an unnecessary advantage to the enemy across as well as within. I have some facts to point out why our army is number 1. Right from the times of WWI, WWII or even before that we had won all the wars fought on our soil or even foreign lands. Is the numerical strength or the possession of superior weapons the criteria to rank an army? Again a big NO. The victories in both the world wars were on the sides Indian army had fought, although under a foreign command. It is a fact, history may had been distorted but the reality is, right from the times of Zorawar Singh to brigadier Rajinder Singh to Lieutenant General Jagit Arora, we had the history of our Generals, a rarest feat fighting from the front which no other army had.
Our soldiers single handily did what none in the history had done. Havildar Abdul Hameed, Brigadier Osman, Captain Bana Singh, Major Som Nath Sharma to point out only a few. Our 80 soldiers finishing Chinese 500 in 1967 in Sikkim, our army capturing 93000 in 1971, the biggest in an army history after the times of Chander Gupta Maurya, our 20 soldiers dashing Chinese 150 in Galvan valley recently and still people call such an army as number 3 or No 4. RUBBISH. Possessing superior weapons, large numerical strength etc are no criteria to rank an army. Statistics is no criteria. Taking this analogy, USA, a 35 crore population country cannot be considered as the number one super power.
It is the dynamics as a physics student I may say which determine the power and standing. Fighting spirit, killer instinct and being battle hardened is the sole criteria to rank an army as number 1, 2, 3 etc. Regarding the case of 1962 war with China, it was a political defeat and not a military one. Defeat is when the army hands up, which Indian army never ever did in history. Even there is no record of surrender by our army.
So why this narrative? It gives a wrong impression to the general public, youth as well enthusiasts. So let us treat our army as the number one army in the world. Let’s give it a moral support. Let’s crush the elements within by blasting such fake narratives created merely for the sake of earning money and inviting notoriety for the country. This is a handiwork of paid elements. The realists of this nation had a responsibility to counter all these cooked narratives. Their sitting silent is nothing less than demeaning our army and allowing the nefarious design to flourish.
Our solider wins, gets martyred but never loose or retreat and this is prevalent since the times of Maharana Partap Singh, General Zorawar Singh, and Brigadier Rajinder Singh etc. Spirit of fighting even for martyrdom is our biggest strength and rarest approach.
So considering our army as number 3 or number 4 is a disgrace. Ours is the number one army in the world. Hope the Genext understands it. So let’s call, Aksai Chin as Aksai Bharat and Integral part of India. Border dispute with China needs a settlement since the times of Gen Zorawar Singh Capturing Tibet. If the historical records are set straight, the question of any border dispute in Ladakh won’t come up. Let’s demand our Ladakh as it was during the times of Gen Zorawar Singh. China will find itself scolded. Let’s be brave and offensive to defend our nation.
Kyu ki
Kuch baat hai ki hasti mit-ti nahi hamari
Sadiyun raha ha dushman doure zaman hamara
(The author is Asst. Director, Forest Protection Force)
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