Gaming the dragon
India needs a sophisticated China playbook
SCO defence ministers' meet showcased the Pakistan-China nexus, which mainly focused on undermining India's stand on terrorism. The proposed joint statement was opposed by India after it was found that Pakistan, with China's complicity, was blocking mention of the Pahalgam terror attack but was pushing for inclusion of 'terrorist activities' in Balochistan and the situation in Kashmir. This would have been shocking were it not part of a well-established tactic.
But, as familiar as it is, it should certainly inform the ongoing thaw in New Delhi-Beijing ties. Apart from aiding its 'iron brother' Pakistan, China itself remains a sophisticated strategic challenge for India. Therefore, utmost caution must be maintained in all dealings with Beijing. China's United Front strategy means that any lever of the Chinese state – including private companies – can be leveraged by Beijing to further its strategic interests. Case in point, three massive tunnel boring machines for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor remain held up at a Chinese port awaiting clearance. They were supposed to start arriving last Oct. Similarly, China is easing its urea export ban, but not for India.
India needs two approaches here. It must power on with building indigenous supply chains and tech in critical sectors to reduce dependence on China. The PLI scheme for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients has shown some results. It needs more backing. In the same vein, China's monopoly on rare earth permanent magnet motors can be tackled through development of microelectronics. For R&D collaborations, we can reach out to Taiwan. Second, given the current geopolitical play, it's vital to conclude the trade deal with US. This is now a strategic imperative. India needs options today. And the trade deal with US will provide New Delhi with good leverage vis-à-vis Beijing. It's time to play smart.
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This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
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