China, India can jointly redefine the global narrative
By Colonel Awadhesh Kumar, Retd
China is the World’s top economy in PPP terms and India is placed at Number 3. China with GDP of $ 39. 4 trillion accounts for 33% of World’s GDP whereas India at $ 17. 64 trillion presently accounting for only 15% of World’s GDP.
The USA in between the two has GDP of $25. 7 trillion, accounting for 21 %. Thus the two Asian giants control nearly 50 % of the World economy and with other BRICS members they definitely rule the roost.
In the coming years, if these two neighbours manage their complex relationship, then they can easily redefine the global narrative. Once again, like in the days of old, the World will have both economic and Strategic stability as part of the Asian Century.
The two countries have co existed peacefully for centuries as neighbours with minor aberration. So now as stakes are high there is certainly a need to strengthen this ability to interact peacefully even when competing in various World Affairs by careful balancing of each other’s interests.
After all, there are enough global challenges, such as climate change, pandemics, food security and sustainable development, where the two are now in a position to set the narrative instead of getting dictated by others.
As it is the Countries of the Global South look up to both nations and will gladly follow, leaving hardly any choice to the so called first world countries.
Since independence from Western Yoke, now it is the 75th anniversary of the establishment of China-India diplomatic ties. Differences emerged in 1960s leading briefly to an armed conflict. The two have been maintaining an uneasy calm ever since with things simmering just below the top.
Economically China had surged ahead phenomenal and even militarily everyone thought it was far ahead of India. However the Galwan Conflict in 2020 placed things in correct perspective.
India soon displayed the capability of matching the Chinese in every department with full parity. PLA was stunned to see that in place of 6:1 superiority needed at the minimum for victory in High Altitude, it had none.
In addition India can severe the Chinese Jugular vein in the form of Indian Ocean Trade Routes, At Will. Therefore now both the Asian giants and World powers need to overcome their differences and find a way to work together for writing the new narrative for the rest of the World.
They are the world’s most populous countries and two of the fastest-growing economies. To start with they need to improve and strengthen their military, diplomatic and political relationship.
This can be followed by economic and cultural relationship. As two of the poles of this four cornered multipolar World, China and India need to join forces, to better safeguard the overall interests of all the developing nations and cooperate for their own development.
The immediate priority for both countries is to effectively resolve the issue of Indo Tibet Border. It needs to be agreed to and demarcated both on map and on ground. Next issue will be resolving the China – Tibet Border.
Both the issues must be addressed on a step by step basis without any emotional reactions. The centuries of shared cultural and economic existence, from the ancient trade routes to the spread of Buddhism should become the cardinal reference point.
Even the present day relationship which began with India being one of the first nations to recognize the People’s Republic of China.
In the early years, both followed the slogan “Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai”. China and India must join hands for global financial reforms, ensure free South-South trade, jointly develop infrastructure in rest of Asia, Africa and South America, provide digital connectivity, health care and Security.
Global problems like Environmental degradation, climate change, energy transition, food security and technology governance need to be addressed jointly. Both must resist and vanquish all protectionist or unilateral policies.
