In a significant development, Taiwan's foreign ministry hosted an event "the Ketagalan Forum" focused on the Indo-Pacific on August 8 in which India's former military chiefs - General Manoj Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and former Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria were present.

 

This development came against the backdrop of Taiwan saying that 10 Chinese aircraft, accompanied by five Chinese warships, entered its airspace and engaged in "combat readiness" patrols. According to Taiwan, this is the second such incursion this week.

 

 

All the three Indian former military chiefs are in Taipei for the Ketagalan Forum’s 2023 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue, in what is seen as Indian representation for the conference.

 

And at a time when China is continuously trying to flex muscles to initimidate Taiwan, India and Taiwan are seeking to boost strategic cooperation in light of a shared common threat from China.

 

“Taro Aso, former Prime Minister of Japan and current member of the House of Representatives and Vice President of the LDP, and Andrus Ansip, former Prime Minister of Estonia, will deliver keynote speeches. The roster of other guests comprises 14 parliamentarians, political figures, scholars, and experts from 12 countries, including Admiral Karambir Singh, Chairman of India’s National Maritime Foundation,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

 

"This event is aimed at enhancing cooperation and dialogue among relevant parties so as to maintain and advance peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," it added.

 

Further, it said, "They will engage in discussions with Taiwanese officials, scholars, and experts on the situation across the Taiwan Strait and the global security order, the challenges of information warfare, cognitive warfare, and other gray-zone tactics and their impact on democracy, and the restructuring of international supply chains including Taiwan’s role in this process."

 

The former military chiefs were supposed to provide India’s views at this conference, however, there have been no press statements made by anyone. 

 

If the China-Taiwan crisis escalates, it would lead to a bad fallout for India and its economy and part of leadership is thus of the opinion that Taiwan should be backed against China.

 

The office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan has tasked the services to provide an array of options for New Delhi if China and Taiwan escalate into a full-scale conflict.

 

New Delhi currently follows the ‘One China’ policy. India seems to have a huge task ahead if the situation gets worse and it might have to make a decision on this crisis.