A very good and enlightening read about China-India relationship going forward and what India should strive for to counter China aggression... --via Firstpost As a lonely power - Pratap Bhanu Mehta calls both America and China as fairly friendless superpowers – China sees red whenever other powers get together. This is why when Modi planned a Japan visit, the Chinese President quickly came a-calling. The only other thing China respects apart from hard power is India’s soft power. India and China are two of the world’s oldest civilisations. As such, India’s soft power in the world can rival China’s. Moreover, given our completely different power trajectories, the world fears China but sees no harm, even welcomes, the rise of a more powerful India. The strategy for India to follow vis-à-vis China must thus comprise the following elements. One, faster economic growth and steady improvements in military capability. Two, regular engagement on the border and other disputes with China. This is to prevent misunderstandings from leading to skirmishes. Three, building a China containment coalition along with Japan and Vietnam. Four, steady projection of India’s soft power in the west and south-east Asia to counter China. Five, maintain internal unity by avoiding needless talk of Hindutva and other such divisive issues. Six, keep trading with China for mutual benefit, but insist that they must start closing the trade gap. Whatever the level of trade, Chinese political aims will not change towards India. The Chinese know that Indians have not traditionally been strategic thinkers. It is up to us to prove them wrong. The purpose of Xi Jinping’s visit was to test Modi’s nerves and check out what stuff he is made of. He landed in Gujarat to see if Modi can be flattered to go soft on China. Hopefully, he found out that was not the case.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 11:30:39 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015