Two incidents on the very first day of the new year drew India’s attention to its relations with China. The first was a video, in which the Chinese flag was being hoisted in the Galvan Valley. This was the same place where a deadly skirmish took place between Indian and Chinese soldiers in June 2020.
The second incident was pictures of Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanging sweets on the occasion of the New Year. Of the ten places where sweets were exchanged, seven were in eastern Ladakh, where armies of the two countries have been facing each other in unprecedented deployment since last summer.
psychological pressure
In fact, the two countries are still seeking China’s exit from other areas such as Patroling Point (PP) 15 in the Kugrang River valley, lifting their blockade at ‘Bottleneck Point’ in Depsang and allowing Indian patrols to move to an area of about 900 square kilometres. Negotiating to agree on permission. Indian military sources say that the Galvan video was not shot at the site of the confrontation, which is most likely a propaganda. But there is no doubt that it had an effect, three days later the Indian Army put up its picture of unfurling the tricolor in Galwan too, but where, it is not clear.
In his annual New Year speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not mention India or any other country. But in his remarks on the new year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi referred to India and said that China has “effectively managed and controlled disputes in some border areas”. Both the countries are continuously strengthening their position near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). According to the latest report, China has built a bridge at the narrowest point of Pangong Lake, to facilitate movement from their base areas to the northern shore of the lake.
All this has happened just a week after the virtual inauguration of several bridges and roads in forward areas including eastern Ladakh by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The 13th round of talks between Chinese and Indian military officials remained fruitless. There have been reports about the 14th round of talks, but there is no confirmation so far. The earlier rounds of talks were successful in getting the troops withdrawn from Galvan and Pangong Tse. But the government has so far not said a word about the most serious problem, Depsang, where an area of about 900 square kilometers is occupied by Chinese troops.
China’s growing influence is a big challenge for India
It seems that the government is ready to hand over the region to China. There are also several other areas in the Kugrang river valley and the Charding Nala near Demchok, from which the Chinese have not yet retreated. Even as its troops face off alongside the Chinese in eastern Ladakh, India continues to face Chinese advances in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Given the size of India’s economy and its military potential, it should take precedence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region, but in reality it is not. Pakistan, of course, is a known problem. But the increasing influence of China in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka is a big challenge for India.
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Two days before the New Year’s address, it was announced that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s first foreign visit in 2022 would be to Maldives, Sri Lanka along with Eritrea, Kenya and Comoros. India has interests in all these countries, especially Sri Lanka, which is about 30 km from the Indian peninsula. There the Rajapaksa family is in power again. Though they are careful to keep New Delhi happy, they are not friendly to us.
China has remained the largest source of FDI for Nepal for six consecutive years, pledging to invest $188 million in 2020-21. It is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner and China is investing in the electricity and energy sector as well as in the construction of expressways, railway lines, bridges and ports. In addition, China is by far the largest arms supplier to Bangladesh. However, Dhaka has been careful in managing its debt and does not face problems like Sri Lanka with its growing economy.
Sri Lanka-China relations have been somewhat troubled in recent months after a consignment of organic manure from China was contaminated. The Sri Lankan opposition was quelled by Chinese clout and they were forced to pay the Chinese company $6.7 million for the deal, and also to buy fresh stock from them. China’s relations with Sri Lanka have often been viewed through the prism of the Hambantota port deal. Of course, there is a serious debt problem in Sri Lanka. But we should not exaggerate the issue of China’s loan to Sri Lanka.
Lack of resources to compete with China
In fact, China’s debt is only 10 percent of its total debt. Two recent studies, one by London-based Chatham House and the other by two professors at Harvard University, debunk the popular narrative that China is deliberately piling up debt to helpless developing countries. The challenge before the world and India is to be able to counter Chinese activities in this region. However, India lacks the resources to compete with China in terms of money.
But it can forge alliances with countries like Japan and the US to solve the issue of development aid in the region. In June 2021, the G-7 countries launched a new ‘Build Back Better World’ (B3W) initiative as an alternative to the Chinese BRI. But since its scope will be global, New Delhi should play an active diplomatic role in encouraging B3W countries to invest in the South Asian region.
Courtesy from www.orfonline.org/hindi/
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