Last week, I was surfing channels and suddenly came to a halt at a Hindi news channel. It was showing a typically ‘tamasha’ news on why and how China was preparing to attack India in the near future. The channel asked- “What is the intention of the Chinese government and if China attacks India, will India be able to hold China at bay and defend her territory?” What followed in the next half hour was utterly unbelievable and sheer nonsense. All kinds of old visuals from past Chinese military exercises and movie clips based on Sino-India war of 1962 were repeatedly shown in the background. The voice over was typically jingoistic and keep blabbing about fear of Chinese aggression.
The story kept discussing China’s military might and how well India was positioned to save it from a repeat of 1962. The report reached its incredible zenith when it claimed that there were several underground tunnels below the mountains through which Chinese forces could easily move in and spring a surprise to on Indian defence forces. After going through the ordeal, I tried my best to visualize a repetition of another 1962 but I could not find it even in the distant future.
China is a major economic and military power in Asia as well as in the world. China’s vested interest in Taiwan and in the South China Sea is known to the entire world. China almost started the process of knocking Taiwan out but fortunately because of 2008 Olympics it had to abort the bid. China’s clash with Vietnam is also known to the world and so its resolve to own Spartley islands, politically or forcibly. China is already busy in Xinjiang region trying to calm the Uighur separatist movement and trying its best to hold Tibet. The military intervention in Taiwan is a possibility in any day now and war of words with Vietnam has already started. So China is too busy in other matters which are, for that country, are much more important than engaging India. Secondly, India’s relation with China is improving and the fruit of it is the recognition of Sikkim as an integral part of India, which China was reluctant to accept in the past. The joint military exercise with India which was held last year shows that the Chinese mindset that it doesn’t consider India as its enemy.
Thirdly, India is a big market for Chinese goods and India contributes a significant share in China’s economy. Both India and China complement each other economically as China is a major hardware producer while India produces software which are complementary to each other. Both China and India are global powers and do have considerable influence in Asia. So even if China plans to attack India it has to think about the considerable economic price it has to pay at the cost of its national interest.
Fourthly, India is now a global player and if China attacked India, it has to face the wrath of all developing as well as developed nations. China is already facing criticism about the Tibet issue. Tiananmen Square has already brought in lots of negative publicity and the nature of the Chinese government’s secrecy and closeness is under discussion. So by attacking India, China will be in trouble and India is equally prepared and India will not submit like 1962. Indian Army is the third largest army in the world and is respected worldwide in terms of its operation capabilities. Indian Air Force pilots are some of the best pilots and India does have a Navy which can do considerable damage to any country in Asia. Moreover India is now capable of hitting Beijing and Shanghai with nuclear bombs which is enough to deter China from attacking India.
India and China both share the dream of being super powers in the near future and both know that in the coming years the hegemony of US led power will decline which will create a free space that both India and China will fill. India and China both are aware of each other’s ambitions and aspirations and will never try to be a hindrance to each other. Both China and India need each other for their survival and prosperity. In the age of globalization and mutual economic cooperation, we need not be unnecessarily worried about much hyped military intention of China. India a vibrant democracy with more than 100 crores of people need not be cowed down in fear from its northern neighbour.
Saurabh Das
[Image courtesy: http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jan/11spec.jpg]
India should never mix friendship with military force.
one duty is to try to be a good friend with all neighbours…
and another duty is military being always ready for any foreign
misadventure.
Do never trust Pakistan or china or any other foreign country.
whatever china´s intention is, india should never sleep and constantly increase its military, nuclear power no matter what it costs…
even after signing any stupid treaty or international agreement, india must not trust any country. so, never underestimate the enemy. Has India been sleeping while porkistan increased its nuclear stock pile ? they have 100 nuke warheads and we have only 60 to 80 ??? what is going on ? we must have at least 400 nuclear warheads capable of reaching any city of chinks !!!
hindchinky can be Bhai Bhai, but it doesn´t mean we start to sleep …
This is very ironic. NDTV showed a 30minute documentary as to how China are deploying their armed forces along the north eastern border as if they are primed to engage and attack India.
Someone should question china’s intention over their actions.
From all the news and opinions general public of india should be well prepared for a wartime situation,
because Indian defense forse is powerful but our political leaders are in deep sleep and weak.
The author needs to realise that a sweet chimera may not always exhibit the ground realities..If the chief of a defence wing admits that irritants have been cropping up along the border, I would much rather take his word and believe in prudence rather than gloating about my own country’s economic power or military strength.Definitely all that is there but it hardly means that India has become invincible.We still have a long journey to traverse to reach that goal. There is no doubt that if war does break out, then India will be in a better position to defend its frontiers than it was in 1962..but that, by no means, should be seen as a reason to be callous.And as far as India being China’s biggest trading partner and vice versa, well even the US had interests in the Middle East, primary being the need for oil. But that has not deterred it from bombing those countries.
I donot belive that China is not a threat for India. There have not been any more incursions or transgressions. As compared to last year, they are almost at the same level. So there is no cause for worry or concern.
Some recent media reports had indicated that there was increasing infiltration and firing from Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control that separates the two countries.
After reports started pouring in on prominent TV channels and various dailies about the increasing hostility by China, it needed PM Manmohan Singh to come out with a damper on the widespread hysteria engulfing the country.
There are reports that the “disclosure” notification filed by China in the ADB on Arunachal Pradesh would have no impact on the project, or the funding. There has been a string of media reports on regular Chinese incursions into Indian territory from Leh to Arunachal even in Sikkim.
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I just want to say something to the author which i feel is very important to share in this open arena… I guess u my friend is actually taking things very casually..Otherwise when our retired army chief quoted that it is alarming for India ,how could you say that thing are being exaggerated by the media?? I guess these people know a bit more than the civillians.
Dear writer i would like 2 tell u something .I think ur right .But at the same time india needs 2 make a deterrent power against china .Indian budget is pak specific .If india will make defense budget against china specific then pak will be taken care . India now need to concentrate on china for any time of misadventure from communist nation . So india need at least 1500 nos 3500 km range Agni missile for china and they should be able to deliver nuclear bombs .We indians are ready 4 a good relation with china , but it doesnot mean china will play aprixy war with us using pak and making encircle to india .I am sure if there will be a war this time who wins and lost not matter , but both nations will suffer a havoc and pakistan will dissappear from world map .So we want a good relation with china & at the same time be prepare for any misadventure from china . Anoher point i think we india and china are foolish nations .USA is trying that the two nations should fight and this will clear road for them .I request both chinese and indian brothers , create a good relation for the future . Donot be a fool in front of western idiots.
The problem of a economist or a pro communist person writing a strategic discourse is what happens and is visible in this article.I would suggest author to read Chinese discourse and also read Chinese defence white paper to analyse things in right perspective.
i agree with you saurabh, but what about the ‘new world order’
i really think that all the hype is a part of a major conspiracy which transcends international borders, and national politics, well it might just be an attempt at getting the newly developing superpowers at war, and then an elaborate process of curbing their growth.