The change of guard in America is not only important for the US but also for the whole world as America still is unarguably the most powerful nation in the world, even if the challenges put forward by China to change this status is really alarming and worth taking note of. For India, it is of more significance than others as our relations have started warming up with America in recent years and also because of our tug of war with China and her stooge Pakistan. Of late, India has started asserting itself in the Asian politics and she is more than eager to throw away the tag of a soft power. The work is difficult as India faces the challenge of China, an emerging hegemon, which has given America a really tough time, what to speak of India.
In international politics, nothing comes on a silver platter. It is your power, strategic importance, leadership and above all the willingness to stand up to the national interest and global cause that makes you important, relevant and indispensable. Joe Biden or Donald Trump is not going to make any difference as it is the American interests that will guide their policy. America cannot allow the unhindered growth of China in South Asia and South China Sea.
The growing domination of China in South China Sea and the One Belt One Road Policy has threatened the Indo Pacific region and QUAD is a meaningful response that has to take a definite shape with declared objectives to take on the dragon. India is demographically and strategically so important that America and others have no option but to take India along. It is true that India will have to show her interest and the Indian leadership will not be found wanting.
The American policy towards China started to toughen from the days of Bill Clinton, who rightly said that India and the US are natural Allies as both have a democratic system. It was a veiled warning to China which has a different system of government diametrically opposite to democracy. The challenge from China is not of political and economic hegemony only, but also of the mode of polity and governance. On the one side is democracy and on the other is one party rule of China and Russia with the sugarcoating of left ideology which has deep penetration in academia, media and think tanks of the modern world.
Democracy has waged a war against left ideology since the end of the second world war and it was successful in dismantling the USSR in 1991- 1992. China has filled this void and left ideology and one party rule is posing a serious challenge to democratic system of governance.
Another challenge to this value system comes from fundamentalism driven by religion. Monarchy, which has survived till date showing great elasticity by adjusting with democracy, is providing finances to the fundamentalists, so their role should also be taken in account.
In this backdrop, democracy and the values of liberty, equality and fraternity thrown up by French Revolution in 1789 have to reposition itself and take the flag of these principles, which has become the hallmark of the modern times, to safer shores. Such a great challenge cannot be taken up successfully by any political and military arrangement without the support of India and her democratic, political and military power. Therefore, India is the most indispensible member of any political arrangement that will come up in South Asia and Indo Pacific. India has to tread its path very cautiously and at the same time very confidently so that it gets its due in QUAD or any other political arrangement that might come up.
However, India, America and all their allies, who stand for democracy, have to be very much watchful as they have inherent social, economic and religious fissures and which is difficult to control, given the constraints of democratic governance and other limitations like free media and the issues like human rights.
Democracy is undoubtedly the best method of governance developed by the mankind.
It has withstood several acid tests and hopefully it will come out with flying colours this time also. But, the champions of democracy have to be on guard as the opposite forces will try their best to widen these social, political, economic and religious dissensions.
The writer is Registrar, Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribag and a passionate writer. The views expressed in the article are his own.