Geopolitical games in the Himalayas
By
Colonel Awadhesh Kumar
Dated : 18 Dec 2020 (IST)
After giving the World the raging Corona virus pandemic from its city of Wuhan, which badly crippled its own economy and of Course of other countries too, China’s penchant for playing geopolitical games isn’t doing the country any good.
Few months back, PLA again tried to carry out some salami slicing to further alter the LAC in the Indian Union territory of Ladakh from the side of Chinese Occupied Ladakh.
When the Indian Army protested, the PLA Unit attacked the Indian Army and caused 20 fatal casualties on the Indian side. In the bargain the PLA lost over 40 and had some 90 seriously wounded.
It was then when India decided that enough was enough and it announced that now there will be no business as usual with the Chinese. India decided to decouple economically and socially from China.
Thereafter along with military upgrading measures, India also took measures to impose economic costs on China. As a part of decoupling now New Delhi has announced actions to tighten telecom gear controls, to ensure that major Chinese suppliers including Huawei and ZTE are unable to do business in India as earlier.
This stance is certain to give a clear message to the Chinese authorities that India Will now take all actions as required in its National Interest.
India is a leading economy in Asia and the third largest economy in the World. Such measures will also help indigenous telecommunication companies to expand and make India more self independent, further its economic growing momentum and pulling out more of its people from below the poverty line into low middle income group.
Indian has announced plan to roll out lists of “trusted” and “blacklisted” telecom equipment suppliers. Indian government officials have expressed concerns over some local telecom carriers’ adoption of Huawei gear, which needs to be curbed firmly as it may harm National Security.
Without any hesitation now India is clearly telling the World and China that all the above measures are to target Chinese suppliers, including Huawei and ZTE. We will not do business with those who attack us and eye our territory.
The latest plan to tighten control on telecom gear comes after a series of Indian moves against Chinese companies this year, such as banning more than 200 Chinese apps, heightened scrutiny of Chinese investments, and prolonging clearance time of Chinese imports.
In addition to the LAC strengthening measures along The Indo Tibetan Border, India has been reducing the widening trade deficit with China.
New Delhi is also using its strategic autonomy to strengthen its relationship with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman and other Middle East countries and of Course Israel.
On the other hand entire South East Asia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan all have been drawn very close to India. Then India has beautifully balanced its relationship with both USA and Iran.
Of Course the bonding within SAARC less Pakistan is growing day by day. Also Indo Russian friendship remains unparalleled.
India in spite of Corona has bounced back and is enjoying high expectations of a very promising economic growth potential.
As per latest IMF estimation, the Indian economy percent wise in 2020, compares very favourly with that of the rest of the world.
The Corona confirmed cases have reached 10 million but the recovery rate has been 95%. This is the best in the World, especially with a population of over 1300 million.
India has an ambitious goal of growing into a Powerful World power both economically and militarily to ensure that no rouge power is able to terrorize the World.
New Delhi’s policy is however to achieve the above through democracy and through development of India’s domestic industries. Increasingly, global investors are shifting their manufacturing base from communist China to democratic India.
As for India’s telecom industry, even the US, The European Union and the Australians have seen through the Chinese agenda and therefore are trying to squeeze out global Huawei and ZTE.
With call of ATMANIRBHARTA all Indian industries as well as those who have developed a highly integrated connection with Chinese supplies, including auto parts and medical materials have started decoupling with faster pace.
In the meantime, the Indian economic confidence can be seen from the fact that it refused to join the regional economic integration in East and Southeast Asia because it has been engulfed by the Chinese.
One day in the foreseeable future, ASEAN, Japan and others will realize the folly of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – presently claiming to be covering about 30 percent of the global economy and population.
Unlike other developed economies Indian economy is shored up by solid economic foundations, and therefore playing geopolitical games with India is not affordable for Chinese Communist Party or the PLA. Now it’s time for Beijing to think it over.
Only way out for Beijing is to first demarcated the Indo Tibet boundary both on map and ground. Then demarcated the Tibet China border similarly and finally willingly restore full independence to Tibet.
