The world is yet to come to terms with the epochal Operation Sindoor which showed India in a new light. However, unfazed by this India has used the operation not only to demonstrate it means what it says – on countering terrorism emanating from Pakistan – and above all to assess its own military and tactical capabilities and identify enemies. Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh explained it so lucidly while addressing a FICCI conference. He said during the operation India was fight on one border not just against Pakistan but two more and even deadlier enemies – China and Turkiye. One border; three adversaries is what Gen Singh called this new alliance. China has always been working against Indian stealthily. It shakes hands with India on one side and uses “knives of others’ (Pakistan in this case) to stab us from behind. During the Operation, China not only provided necessary wherewithal to Islamabad but also used the Pakistani action to test its weapon system. As NSA Ajit Doval says, you cannot defeat an enemy that you cannot identify. India has tested many friends and foes in the Operation and cemented its threat perception from the potential enemies. Since the 1962 war with China, India was trying to come to terms with its relationship with China, a civilisational nation quite like India. The rise of China as a manufacturing powerhouse made the country India’s big trading partner. As sagacious nations with large populations both have refrained from allowing their military skirmishes impact the trade, though the common Indians have restricted buying Chinese stuff. As General Rahul R Singh said Chinese war doctrine espouses using others knives to stab a potential enemy. During Operartion Sindoor, its plans against India were exposed. Turkiye is another self-styled adversary whose only concern is religion – Islam. The country has no direct clash with India but loves to be the begani shadi mein Abdullah diwana (Poking your nose in others’ affairs)– to pretend to be the Islamic power that others must take seriously.