Page 52 - Tehelka-May18

foreign affairs
Can India contain

the Dragon?

Deng Xiao Ping summit in 1988 and the The concerns over CPEC have also liberalisation of Indian economy.
decision of implementing them also been dismissed explicitly. The newspa- ‘Later-comers’ trade deficit with
PM Narendra Modi’s Wuhan visit points to the fact that there is no head- per said, “India’s geostrategic concerns their industrialisation facilitators are
way in talks on border disputes. China
often large and will not decrease soon.
for the China-Pakistan Economic Corri-
was an attempt to change the course is not ready to abandon its position it dor (CPEC) and other Chinese initiatives This is because of the huge demands for
of Beijing-New Delhi relations. Will has held since the Sino-Indian War in will persist. China has the right to coop- necessary components and machinery
those late-comers cannot produce on-
erate with any other sovereign coun-
1962. So, the only option left to the lead-
now China change its attitude ers was to issue “strategic guidance to tries in the region, while India also has shore. So, instead of fixating on trade,
towards India after first one-on-one their respective militaries to strengthen the right to like or dislike China’s initia- India may better improve its balance
meeting between Modi and Chinese communication in order to build trust tives in the region. But, the bright side of payment through financial account
and mutual understanding and en- is that, instead of focusing too much on surplus in forms of incoming foreign
President Xi Jinping? asks anil sinha hance predictability and effectiveness the CPEC, China and India can better direct investments. This, of course, re-
in the management of border affairs.” align their interests by staging out re- quires India to put the existing trade
The two leaders directed their mili- gional initiatives that are paralleled to deficit in strategic perspectives, further
taries to earnestly implement various the CPEC.” The newspaper suggests that liberalising its domestic market,” said
“confidence building measures agreed India could participate in “China-Ne- the Global Times.
upon between the two sides, including pal-India Trilateral Corridor or revive That the summit was organised in
the principle of mutual and equal se- the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar a hurry and India failed to make China
curity, and strengthen existing institu- Corridor.” agree on concessions is clear. It will
tional arrangements and information affect our status internationally. In re-
sharing mechanisms to prevent inci- cent years, Indian position has been of
dents in border regions. They endorsed A careful glance resisting China. This has inspired confi-
the work of the Special Representatives at the reports in dence among Southeast Asian Nations.
rime Minister Narendra controlled media of China gives us an agreeing to join a high-level summit to find a fair, reasonable and mutually India had taken a bold stance on South
Modi’s trip to Wuhan in Chi- insight which points to the fact that In- only after few months of the 72-day acceptable settlement on the bound- state-controlled China Sea dispute as well. Chinese ex-
na for an informal summit dia is not going to gain much from the stand-off at Doklam itself points to an ary issue. These instructions to their media of China pansion has been so rapid that it has
with Chinese President Xi trip. The course of dialogue between the abnormal step taken by it. The stand- militaries only give some assurance of a almost encircled India. Earlier, China
P Jinping came as a surprise two most important economies of Asia off only revealed that China has not calm and tranquil at borders. However, gives us an insight used to have an only ally, Pakistan in
to many. It was almost unthinkable to is also not going to benefit India in trade changed a bit since the 1962 war be- Chinese are known for violating their the region. Now, it has spread its wings
see him there just few months after a and business sectors. In terms of strate- tween India and China. It chose to make commitments. which points to over the entire region. The most worri-
visit to the country and before another gic gains, we are not going to gain any- all the derogatory remarks which are The fact that the issue of CPEC (Chi- the fact that some aspect is its expansion in the In-
scheduled visit next month. The Prime thing. It is another thing that the mes- used against an enemy country. In the na Pakistan Economic Corridor) and dian Ocean. Maldives, once considered
Minister had visited the country in sage given out through the event may given situation, it was not surprising Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) travers- India is not going a trusted Indian ally, has also come un-
last September, just one month after be of great propaganda value for both that the issue was not even mentioned ing through Pakistan-occupied Indian to gain much from der the Chinese influence. The present
the Doklam stand-off and he is again the governments. China wants to grab in the talks. This might be due to the area were shelved also goes in favour regime has been defying India time and
visiting the country in June for Shang- a leading role among Asian economies Chinese denial of making any change of China. the trip again. The latest entrant to the Chinese
hai Cooperation meeting. He should and it needs India to be by its side, even in its position on Doklam. The country We get some insight only after look- fold is Nepal which has a long border
certainly be credited for introducing a reluctantly, to show the world. has constantly been denying doing any ing at the interpretations made in the and shared past with India.
change in the prevalent norms of diplo- The hype created around the in- wrong by “changing the status-quo at state-controlled Chinese media. It gives The much-hyped trade relations According to defence experts, India
macy. But, this is hardly of any impor- formal nature of the event was on the Doklam”. China says that territory be- us what is going on in the mind of es- also became captive of the stubborn has now left with the only option of re-
tance if it does not deliver some better lines expected by the organisers, but, longs to Beijing, so there is no question tablishment in Beijing. Chinese attitude. Though India stressed lying on French and US naval powers
results. The format of dialogue is not it was at the cost of common sense. If of changing the status-quo. The agenda “It appears that India is changing its the need of balancing the trade and dis- and Australians to contain China in the
important, if anything is important, it no agreement was to be signed and no of the informal summit did have other radical attitude toward China highlight- cussed the scope of the possibilities of Indian Ocean.
is the content. Here, it is imperative to joint communiqué to come out, what contentious issues as well. Issues of ed in Doklam standoff last year,” com- agricultural and pharmaceutical export Will peace bought by Prime Minister
ask whether China is going to change was the purpose of such a high-level declaring Jaish-e-Mohammad chief mented the government-controlled to China, China does not seem to be in- Modi in Wuhan last long? The question
its attitude towards India. The past be- summit? It may appear to be a smart Masood Azhar a UN-designated ter- Global Times in China. clined to accept such an arrangement is not easy to answer. The current stra-
haviour hardly confirms. way of diplomacy, but, in reality, it only rorist and blocking India’s entry into “Indian academia and political cir- which would enable India to bridge the tegic scenario points to the precarious
It is not unusual for Indian media to indicates a near impossibility of getting Nuclear Supplier Group made it clear cles have agreed that the country needs gap in export and import earnings. Chi- condition of India. The only assuring
have depicted the trip in an over enthu- to an agreement. The reports in Chinese that China has not changed its stance to develop cooperative ties with China,” na does not seem to be ready to make stance Prime Minister Modi has come
siastic manner only to land up in a situ- media portrayed the event as an Indian on these issues. said the newspaper. The interpretation any concession. The newspaper argues is in the form of his visit to Nepal. If the
ation where it lost the capacity of ana- initiative which China agreed to join. It The apprehension gets strength- clearly indicates that China wants to how massive industrialisation has same gesture is extended to Pakistan, it
lysing the event with some objectivity. also points to the fact that India showed ened when we see the External Affairs project the Summit as an Indian initia- placed China in an advantageous posi- would be easier for India to handle the
The trip had a huge potential of becom- every type of flexibility, whereas, Chi- Ministry saying that the leaders did not tive aimed at calming down its own ag- tion and it can facilitate ‘Make in India’ dragon.
ing a path-breaking mission. However, nese remained firm and stuck to their go into specifics. Invoking the arrange- gressive positions on Doklam and other through its investments. The requisite,
a careful glance at the reports in state- earlier positions. India taking a lead or ments made after the historic Rajiv- issues. the newspaper enumerates is further letters@tehelka.com

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