No Comments Indian foreign policy is beginning to mature from its fence-sitting approach preferred over the decades to being proactive. It now has the pressing need as well as the capacity to look beyond its immediate borders to the extended neighbourhood.
No Comments China’s assertiveness bordering on bullying and expansionism gradually increased to convince the Quad countries to revive the dialogue in 2017
India in conjunction with USA and Japan becomes an eyesore for the CCP because for China to be the ‘middle-kingdom’, India has to remain the second-fiddle in Asia
Quad is geared towards the strategy of ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ (FIPO), and there is only one country in the region that stands out for flouting UNCLOS rules, building artificial islands, territorial water disputes with many countries
A Chinese mouthpiece’s article creates a scenario wherein India seems to be stuck in a zero-sum game- if it chooses Quad, it loses BRICS
Quad is conceptualized exclusively with Chinese expansionism in mind, and its impact on the participating nations. It has clear strategic interests and implications.
BRICS help voice concerns of those neglected by the USA led world order dominated by the developed world to the disadvantage of the developing world.
BRICS is guided by long-term, legitimate goal of making the world order fairer for the global south.
However, if push comes to shove, and India does come to a point where she has to choose between being part of only one of the two groups, India should choose the Quad.
No Comments Guided by its ambition of becoming ‘the’ dominant state in the world, China has systematically worked towards becoming a contender for superpower status.
Xi Jinping has sought to cure the Malacca dilemma through the Belt and Road Initiative or BRI. At the same time, through its overland Silk Road Economic Belt’s flagship programme China Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC, China is seeking access to the Indian Ocean.
China has smartly followed Chanakya’s Mandal theory and nurtured its relations with Pakistan because the neighbour’s neighbour and neighbour’s enemy are natural allies- India is sandwiched between vijigishu China and its natural ally Pakistan.
If PoK is reintegrated with India, China would have to seek access to Pakistan through Afghanistan via the Wakhan corridor, or even through Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Considerable amount of political will is required on part of India to go through it because it would actually be in the middle of a two-front war, and China is an adversary to be reckoned with. Support must be extended to the pro-democracy voices in China because ultimately, democracy is the best protection against unjust wars and autocracy.
No Comments The Indian Ocean region has become crucial to world politics and much of the international power play will pan out in the region With the addition of France to Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), it now has 23 member states and 9 dialogue partners including USA, China, Germany, and others. IORA seeks to serve as […]
No Comments The BRI quagmire challenges both the foreign policy of India and also its resolve to stand on its own despite pressures at home and abroad. The way ahead for India is to shed the romanticism of the past in its foreign policy and adapt a pragmatic and forthright intervention on matters that question its interests.
No Comments The BRI initiated by China was portrayed as a challenge to a unipolar world in favor of multi-polarity, non-intervention in internal matters of other countries, egalitarian and fairer financial structures and institutions along with lasting partnerships for mutual development marked by cooperation not domination. However, BRI has morphed into anything but these objectives.
