TAMING OF DRAGON

 

Today entire world is facing an unprecedented situation due to this covid 19 pandemic .Even in such a scenario china is not mending its ways. The massive deployment of troops along the Line of Actual Control and expansionist policy of china reveals its double face and which frequently violates past agreements. Several rounds of corps commander level talks were held between India and China, but no significant outcome has achieved. After the first round of talks on 6 June 2020, clashes occurred in Galwan Valley on 15 June 2020 that claimed 20 lives of Indian soldiers and an unknown number of casualties on the Chinese side. 

         The faceoff's and standoff's keep occurring due difference in perception on the alignment. Of greater significance will be realization within the PLA leadership that India's emerging combined arms and firepower has the potential to inflict significant attrition on the PLA's combat potential in and around the tactical battle area.

      In addition, Indian Navy is increasing its footprints and assertive maritime posturing that will act as deterrence in containing the aggressive PLA Navy and increasing articulation on the need to ensure freedom of navigation which reflects a strong willingness on India's part to move boldly and tackle an adversary on the high seas rather than stay in the backwaters.

     Today India is confidently forming an alliance like QUAD group comprising India, US, Japan, Australia to counter the dominance of china and will ensure the balance of power. India is also focusing on other key aspects including maritime security cooperation, providing alternative to the Belt and Road initiative, cooperation in 5 G , cyberspace,  artificial intelligence  etc.

    On diplomatic front, India has turned US and Russia on its side. As in Eurasian region, Russia continues to be important to India and you don’t want to have a platform to your rivals that is china and Pakistan.

      On economic front, India's trade deficit with china was $53.56 billion in 2018-2019 which fell to $48.66 billion in 2019-2020. There is also emergent nature of threats from mobile applications such as Tiktok , UC browser , Weibo etc.    India remains reliant on Chinese products in several critical and strategically significant and sensitive sectors like semiconductors, telecom, automobile, pharmaceuticals etc.

     For countering the dragon, it is extremely important and imperative to work on multiple fronts that is military, diplomatic, political, and economic aspects only then this dragon can be tamed and status quo ante at the borders can be restored.