Trade
As I sit in my room and browse the Chinese news channels, notwithstanding the fact that I comprehend nothing, save the pictures that explain most. One channel is devoted to an army and follows the Chinese aircraft carrier and flotilla over the South China Seas, besides eulogising the military, their training and lives.
After my interaction with the Chinese in many cities and of many vocations, there is one indisputable fact; that neither country would wage war against the other, or ever win a war against the other. In the unlikely event of a confrontation, it will be a destruction of kind humanity may never have perceived. What do we do? Do we quietly accept the Chinese road through POK? Do we bequeath the thousands of square kilometres of disputed territories from Arunachal and Kashmir? I’m no less patriot than anyone else, but also am an optimist counting on the diplomatic prowess of our nation.
In the name of deterrence 6% of the GDP, close to US$ 46 Billion is spent on deterrent defence. The brand of Modi’s diplomacy to establish a one to one relationship with world leaders, and especially with President Xi Jinping is a laudatory step, which will augur well for both our countries.
A section of the politicians and the media would always bay for blood, extrapolating the 1962 experience, or Doklam standoff, which would be erroneous. In a worse situation, when the Koreas were on the brink of a war, I had firmly held that the posturing was meaningless and not one shot was fired from either side. I stand vindicated until this writing, and on top, the leaders of both warring nations have broken the ice and announced an end to the 65-year-old war. For China, it would be no different with India.
Interestingly many Chinese, whom I had met have seen one or another Bollywood movie. ‘Dangal’ has done exceptionally well, and the film-hungry neighbour can lap up many more such. Indian cuisine should move in too; they are sporadic and confined to very few cities. Student exchanges should intensify, and trade should bolster, benefitting from each other’s strength. All this would diminish our mutual distrust and fear of war.
Chinese need newer markets and cannot depend on America alone, and the recent trade skirmishes have undone their faith in the US. We shall gain immensely with our growth quotient and vast market in the coming years. India already has cashed on and exported thousands of tonnes of cotton, breaking the US stranglehold, post the trade ban.
It’s Indo-China growth the next decade and perhaps longer if both are sincere to the aspirations of their people, a third of the humanity!
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide voix