India China standoff has reached a critical stage after the naming of Arunachal Pradesh and some of its important places in Chinese and issuing Chinese maps accordingly. Recently clashes in Tawang took place which is also related to the unjust Chinese claim over Arunachal Pradesh. Claiming neighbour’s territory and naming them in Chinese have been an old strategic and diplomatic game plan of China by which they take leverage at the time of negotiation for settling border disputes. The present Chinese diplomatic aggression is meant to keep India on backfoot during the G 20 summit in India and address the gallery back home.
But the home minister Amit Shah visited Arunachal Pradesh and gave warning to China in a very terse language which is a clear departure from the old policy of meek and muted response to any Chinese mischief. He also launched the ambitious vibrant village programme to equip almost three thousand villages of five north eastern states with modern amenities and good connectivity so that villagers do not abandon these strategically important border villages.This newfound confidence has come after giving firm replies to the Chinese misadventures in Galwan and Tawang and looking eyeball to eyeball for the past almost three years.
Why is China pushing things this far? The reverses China has faced in Galwan and Tawang has left Xi Jinping red faced and it desperately wants some success against India which could be showcased to the Chinese people. But this is not easy to come.
India’s tough stand against China is the culmination of a well thought out policy of developing infrastructure and connectivity in border areas at a very rapid speed in the last few years under the present leadership. In the defence sector, the country has made big strides and India has become an exporter of arms and ammunition. India’s healthy economy supports all this. The doubting Thomases of the Indian economy should revise their opinion.
China is disturbed that India is fast catching up with it in the international arena of politics and diplomacy. Xi Jinping had gone to Russia with a plan to end the Russia Ukraine conflict. Nobody knows the details of the proposed peace plan. In the meantime, the Russian foreign minister Lavrov made a statement that a new world order will have to be made in place of a unipolar world and this would be an important agenda as and when Russia and Ukraine would sit together to finalise the modalities of peace. Such a statement is definitely not conducive for the peace process to begin, leaving apart the aim of finding a solution. And these are not purely Russian sentiments. These words are literally Chinese. This would further delay the beginning of the peace process as in no case this issue would be addressed in any peace talks. As a matter of fact, China doesn’t want an early end of the war for its continuation would weaken the US-led West as well as Russia, which is a friend of China because of the extraordinary circumstances .
Russia and China have many issues between them. The foremost is the Russian city of Vladivostok which is very important from a commercial point of view as the port there connects India through a shorter route. It also shortens the route from India to Europe. What is, however, needed is the development of this port. China has been making claims over Vladivostok for a long time. Xi himself is a rank expansionist and wants to take it over. Russia is feeling a little weak in the face of this sinister Chinese design. It is in this backdrop that Russia wants India’s assistance in the development of this port. If this happens, it would benefit Russia immensely as India would develop vested interests over there and Russia and India would be a deadly combination against China. It is quite logical then that China wants to keep India on the backfoot so that it does not dare to take on China.
A strong and determined India is giving sleepless nights to China and it doesn’t know how to contain India. A feather in the cap is the arrival of Ukraine’s Deputy Secretary of foreign affairs in Delhi on a four days visit. Naturally, one of the most important points of discussion will be as to how to bring an early end to the Russia Ukraine conflict. India can break the ice as it has the confidence of both Russia and Ukraine. Moreover, a peace negotiation mediated by India will be acceptable to all as India has the trust of the US-led West also. In all probability, an India brokered peace will be beneficial for the world as India has no personal interest.
The writer is a noted academician and political commentator. Views Expressed are personal.