Ankur asked: China has been developing area denial capabilities. I want to ask whether this is a long term strategy or a stop gap method for short term gain.

Ramesh V. Phadke replies: Obviously not. "No Chinese strategy is ever short term and hence area denial is also not short term. In fact, China's westward expansion and its quest to control the whole of South China Sea, has far bigger consequences as they would slowly, gradually but surely severely constrain the elbow space that India has or needs to conduct its foreign relations. India would find itself in what I can only term a 'grid lock'.