Sino-Indian relations have never been rosy - especially after the 1962 aggression that the Chinese launched against India in retribution for India giving refuge and shelter to the Dalai Lama of Tibet. Despite that, the border with China, unlike the border with Pakistan has been less trouble prone all these years. Chinese seemed to be content with the area they had been holding and would rarely mess around with the Indian side - except for a rare overstepping of the border to keep up their reputation of being unpredictable.
In recent days, however, we have seen a palpable change in Beijing’s behavior towards India - which manifests primarily in form of unrest at the border at the present time. Many Indian analysts take a myopic view of the issue and, in their analyses, they rarely look past the two countries. They tend to look at the issue without much consideration of the changing global power alignments. There is a need for a global perspective on this issue as therein lies the main reason as to why China is acting the way it has been acting for the past few months.
The meteoric rise of China began only after 1972 when Nixon made a pact with Mao Tse Tung to open China to the world through trade. Pakistan played a vital role in this marriage of convenience between Uncle Sam and the Chinese dragon. In the ensuing years, China steadily built itself up as an economic and a military power. India meanwhile languished - hamstrung by a socialist democratic structure and vote bank politics of set asides and quotas.
The turnaround for India came only in 2014 when the ruling Congress Party that had the country in its vice grip since independence (except for a short period when Congress lost power after it imposed National emergency), lost the elections and Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India.
In the last three years India may not have made major strides in manufacturing, but something very fundamental has happened. India has staked its claim for its rightful place in the International Community, made new alliances and has emerged as a major player in the international arena. Several reforms in trade and economy have been implemented. In fact, India has, for the last three years, been preparing the Launchpad from which it can launch its "Make in India" campaign. That precisely is in the root of the problem with the Chinese.
As China became prosperous being the Grocery Store owner of the world, its militaristic ambitions have grown simultaneously. It flexes its muscle and tries to illegally enforce its hegemony over the international waters of the South China Sea. China does not want a competitor to open shop in its neighborhood and undercut their sole proprietary role in the manufacturing arena.
The Role of Pakistan
American aid to Pakistan peaked during 2010 when America needed Pakistan’s cooperation to move supplies to its troops fighting in Afghanistan. Even at that time, American officials complained that Pakistan was ‘demanding aid’ for its ‘cooperation in the war against terrorism. America realized that it needed to change its attitude towards Pakistan after the dreaded terrorist, Osama bin Laden was found hunkered down under the protection of the ISI near an army base in Abbotabad. After killing Osama in May of 2011, US cut aid to Pakistan substantially.
Accustomed to dictating terms in demanding aid, Pakistan turned around and stung America in the back by stomping off to forge an unholy alliance with China – which had, by then, started posturing itself as a military adversary of the United States despite the fact that America was the largest customer of its exports. In its hubris Pakistan sold its soul to China and has signed the most one-sided agreement in the form of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor).
Under CPEC, Pakistan has sold itself completely to China. China is investing billions of dollars developing an overland route for its trade that will connect West China to the Pakistani Gawadar Port close to the Strait of Hormuz. Of course, Chinese have been using their own labour force to build this highway. Under secretive loan deals, Pakistan has borrowed heavily from China to build Thermal Power and Hydroelectric projects for them. The interest rates and the loan terms have been kept confidential and this secretive arrangement has left the Pakistani analysts guessing and worrying.
India meanwhile took air out of China’s sail by signing an agreement with Iran to develop the Chabahar port and developing a road supply link to Afghanistan. Even in Afghanistan, Indian influence has far outshadowed any attempt by Pakistan to forge alliances. In fact, Pakistan has no friends other than the Parasite that sucks its blood – China. Pakistan may have sold its body and soul to China but it has become a big headache for India. It appears that the ethnic Han Chinese will soon flood Pakistan and make it their colony. In moments, Pakistani Hubris gives way to the rising Panic. This is evidenced by their television anchors and analysts wo have begun to talk of that looming dark clouds over their head.
The last straw for the Dragon
Chinese insecurity and discontent peaked when Modi went to the United States for a meeting with President Trump. The dragon is now worried. India has prepared to launch itself into the field of manufacturing and has forged ties with its biggest customers. The dragon wants to breathe fire at India and that’s what you see manifested in form of Border skirmishes. The Chinese will spare no cost to keep India in a state of Chaos either by fomenting unrest or by funding insurgencies. India needs to recognize this emerging threat from China and prepare to tackle it using her own methods. India is not dealing with Pakistan and China, it is dealing with China and China-annex. The exorcism has begun and the Dragon that is so used to sucking the life blood of every nation on earth, is throwing a tantrum when that is another mouth eating out of its trough.
