The unresolved boundary dispute with China is the biggest national security challenge followed by Pakistan’s proxy war and its strategy of “bleeding India by a thousand cuts”, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Friday.

The top military official identified regional instability and its impact on India, and the preparations needed to handle future battlefield scenarios with high technology components in a rapidly challenging environment as the third and fourth major challenges.

The chief of defence staff said dealing with threats emanating from two adversaries with nuclear weapons is another major challenge facing India as it will have to be prepared for any kind of conventional warfare.