NEW DELHI: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday warned that a growing alignment of interests among China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh could pose serious challenges to India's internal stability and security environment.Speaking at an event hosted by the Observer Research Foundation, Gen Chauhan said, "There is a possible convergence of interest we can talk about between China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh that may have implications for India's stability and security dynamics."His remarks come amid deteriorating ties between India and Bangladesh following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who sought refuge in India in August last year.The CDS highlighted how economic challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) have opened doors for external actors to expand their influence. "The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has allowed outside powers to leverage their influence through debt diplomacy, creating vulnerabilities for India. Similarly, frequent shifts in government in South Asia, with changing geopolitical equations and ideological views, pose another major challenge," he said.

During his address, Gen Chauhan also reflected on the May 7–10 military conflict between India and Pakistan, describing it as potentially the first time two nuclear-armed nations directly engaged in combat."India has also said that it will not be deterred by nuclear blackmail. I think Operation Sindoor is the only example of a conflict between two nuclear weapon states," he stated.He also pointed out the uniqueness of Operation Sindoor, suggesting it could offer lessons not just for South Asia, but globally.“So Operation Sindoor, in that manner, is slightly unique in itself, and it may hold lessons not only for the subcontinent, but for the entire world,” he said.Explaining India’s strategic space for conventional military response, Gen Chauhan pointed to India’s nuclear posture. "First is India's nuclear doctrine, that there's no first use. I think that gives us strength and that contributes to creating this particular space between us and Pakistan," he said.He added, "Second is the way they responded actually. When India went to respond, we destroyed terrorist camps in response to the terror attack as part of a prevention strategy. You may call it revenge, you may call it retribution, but that ought to prevent further attacks."He further mentioned that it was Pakistan that escalated the situation. "The escalation to a conventional domain was in the hands of Pakistan. Thus, it reduces his option to raise the threshold of this nuclear conflict," he said.Looking ahead, Gen Chauhan underscored the importance of expanding conventional capabilities, particularly into new domains of warfare such as cyber and electromagnetic operations. "The fourth evolving military challenge is increasing vulnerabilities to long-range vectors and long-range precision flights. There is currently no foolproof defense mechanism against ballistic missiles, hypersonics, cruise missiles, and large-scale attack by drones or loitering ammunition," he said.He also added that conventional military space can still be expanded, and India must be prepared to operate in emerging domains of conflict.