Saturday, September 25, 2010

China's Multi-dimensional threat to India's National Interest

The following is a presentation that I made to a private forum on China's multi-dimensional threat to India's national interests and security.

It takes into account an analysis of the Chinese threat in various dimensions of:

1. Geo Political
2. Military
3. Economic
4. Socio-cultural
5. Science & Technology

The idea is to present a holistic view of the challenges that we face from the inevitable competition between China and India.

The Chinese threat is real. The case for that is built on observable Chinese actions rather than offical or unofficial policy pronouncements. The fact that emerges very clearly is that from a Chinese perspective, India remains a potential threat to their national aspirations. The objective therefore is to box India into a Sub-regional context in South Asia. It is also true that their India policy is also a reflection of their own National Security and National Interest concerns.

The Chinese regime is principally propelled by the need to:

1. Maintain the Communist Party's hold on power
2. Ensure Economic Progress through Stability over all other considerations
3. Ensure the peaceful re-unification of Taiwan and the overall soverignity of the Chinese Nation State

The Indian response to the Chinese challenge is also discussed in this presentation. However, the overall picture that emerges is that we are at best reactive and under prepared. A policy of drift and a self imposed shackle in our minds tends to either over demonize China and over emphasize the Chinese strengths or completely deny the existential threat that China poses by its acitons.

The need of the hour is to get out of this directionless drift, clearly articulate a China policy and actively and assertively pursue our National Objectives. The government and the media have been doing a disservice to the nation by not taking the multi-dimensional threat that China poses seriously and preparing the nation to face this challenge

The country's interest is either being subsumed at the alter of international power politics for questionable gains or being given a very low priority. This must be stopped. This talk was a small effort in bringing in the awareness to concerned nationalistic minded citizens

Comments are welcome