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To counter China, India needs to first crack down on corruption like Xi did
For years, China was viewed as a cheap manufacturing hub. No longer. When Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012, he made no secret of his intention to move China up the value chain
Debashis Basu
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Rajiv Bajaj, chairman of Bajaj Auto, sounded the alarm last week: If China were to restrict exports of rare earth metals — crucial for magnets in electric vehicles— India's nascent electric-vehicle (EV) industry could grind to a halt. His anxiety is not unwarranted. As geopolitical tensions rise and trade wars simmer, headlines like these expose uncomfortable truths: The world remains deeply dependent on Chinese supply dominance, and India is no exception. In domain after domain — artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, green energy, and defence — China's ascendancy is no longer a prediction but a reality. Its stronghold is not accidental;
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India Gazette
43 minutes ago
- India Gazette
"Who's in charge--Democracy or Generals?": UK MP tears into Pakistan, urges world to stand with India
London [UK], June 3 (ANI): Branding Pakistan as a 'failed state', UK MP Bob Blackman on Tuesday launched a scathing attack at India's neighbour, questioning if either 'democracy or generals' was in charge of Pakistan, referring to the country's unchecked military influence in its governance. Speaking to ANI following a meeting with the all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad in London, the UK MP urged the international community to stand with India in its fight against terrorism while blisteringly critiquing Pakistan for its encouragement of terrorism in sovereign Indian territory and its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. He further slammed the nation for fostering a breeding ground for terror that undermines regional peace and stability, while calling for the reunification of Jammu and Kashmir under India as intended in 1947. 'Pakistan is a failed state. We don't have democracy in Pakistan. We have the people of parts of Pakistan, who are suffering under Pakistani military rule. So who's in charge? Is it the democracy or the Generals? And it's quite clear that terrorism is encouraged from Pakistan into sovereign India,' Blackman stated. 'And so we've got to make sure we have to call out the message that the illegal occupation of part of India in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan should end. Those troops should leave, and the whole of Jammu and Kashmir should be united as one principal state, as was intended back in 1947. And then we can lead to the eradication of terrorism and make sure that the people of that great state can celebrate the beauty of the valley,' he added. Blackman further raised critical concerns over Pakistan's use of international aid money, questioning whether funds meant for the country's development were being diverted to purchase Chinese weapons for terrorism against India. He also expressed the UK's condolences and support for India's anti-terrorism actions, emphasising India's desire for peace and questioning Pakistan's misuse of aid for military purposes, advocating for its use in health initiatives like polio eradication. 'We had a meeting and it's great to see the delegation from all parts of India... Everyone from the United Kingdom expresses their condolences and support for the people of India who've suffered this terrorist outrage... India wants peace and tranquillity between the two,' Blackman stated. 'The money that's sent to Pakistan, what is it used for? What it shouldn't be used for is buying Chinese weapons that would then enable terrorists to attack India, and I take a very strong view that our international aid money that should go to Pakistan should be going for the eradication of polio and other infectious diseases that benefit the people of Pakistan rather than it being used illicitly for military purposes,' he added. The BJP MP-led all-party delegation earlier held a meeting with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)-India, which Blackman was a member of. During the meeting, the UK MPs affirmed the country's solidarity with India in isolating Pakistan and enhancing security cooperation. Key figures like House of Lords MP Lord Karan Bilimoria and former member of the UK Parliament Shailesh Vara also expressed unanimous cross-party support in the UK for India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, alongside discussions on deepening India-UK ties in trade, security, and education, despite last-minute camera restrictions leading to phone recordings. (ANI)
India Gazette
43 minutes ago
- India Gazette
UK MPs question Pakistan's aid misuse, back India's anti-terror stand in meet with Ravi Shankar Prasad-led delegation
London [UK], June 3 (ANI): UK MP Bob Blackman on Tuesday raised critical concerns over Pakistan's use of international aid money during a meeting with the all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad in London, questioning whether funds meant for the country's development were being diverted to purchase Chinese weapons for terrorism against India. The BJP MP-led all-party delegation earlier held a meeting with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)-India in London, where UK MPs affirmed the country's solidarity with India in isolating Pakistan and enhancing security cooperation. Key figures like House of Lords MP Lord Karan Bilimoria and former member of the UK Parliament Shailesh Vara also expressed unanimous cross-party support in the UK for India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, alongside discussions on deepening India-UK ties in trade, security, and education, despite last-minute camera restrictions leading to phone recordings. Blackman expressed the UK's condolences and support for India's anti-terrorism actions, emphasising India's desire for peace and questioning Pakistan's misuse of aid for military purposes, advocating for its use in health initiatives like polio eradication. 'We had a meeting and it's great to see the delegation from all parts of India... Everyone from the United Kingdom expresses their condolences and support for the people of India who've suffered this terrorist outrage... India wants peace and tranquillity between the two,' Blackman stated. 'The money that's sent to Pakistan, what is it used for? What it shouldn't be used for is buying Chinese weapons that would then enable terrorists to attack India, and I take a very strong view that our international aid money that should go to Pakistan should be going for the eradication of polio and other infectious diseases that benefit the people of Pakistan rather than it being used illicitly for military purposes,' he added. Lord Karan Bilimoria, who chaired the APPG-India meeting, highlighted the unified cross-party support in both nations against terrorism, reflecting a positive meeting outcome and emphasised the potential for deeper India-UK collaboration in security, education, and the recently agreed FTA, strengthening bilateral ties. 'I am very privileged to have chaired the meeting, hosting the cross-party delegation sent by PM Narendra Modi after the atrocities that took place in Kashmir. They came here; they explained to us very clearly what happened and what India's position is and there is a united stand. Cross-party in India, cross-party here in the are united against terrorism. We will not tolerate terrorism; we have to stop terrorism. It was a very positive meeting with the spirit of unanimous support,' Bilimoria stated. 'We also had the opportunity to discuss the closeness of India-UK relations going forward, not only with the Free Trade Agreement which has been agreed but also working together on security, particularly counter-terroism as well as on education. So, there is huge potential going forward. From this sad, barbaric atrocity, we have to look forward to working together and standing together,' he added. Former UK MP Shailesh Vara appreciated the delegation's in-person visit for providing a clear explanation of the Pahalgam attack, enhancing bilateral understanding and underscored the solid India-UK relationship. 'I think it's very good that this cross-party delegation to the UK to give a very good physical explanation of what happened... it is to strengthen our relationship... The India-UK relationship is very solid, but when you have tragedies such as this, it's important that we don't just speak over the phone... we had a very good dialogue with an explanation and a robust exchange of questions and answers,' the former MP noted. The all-party delegation was welcomed by APPG India President Sandy Verma, and the meeting was co-chaired by UK MPs Lord Karan Bilimoria and Jeevun Sandher. Many current and former MPs, including Lord Ed Vaizey, Bob Blackman, Barry Gardiner, Gurinder Singh Josan, Gagan Mohindra, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, Kanishka Narayan, Shailesh Vara, Baggy Shanker, Mark Pritchard and others also joined the discussion. (ANI)
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
India Dumping Russian Missiles For US Firepower – Is Moscow Losing Its Last Big Ally?
New Delhi: After decades of sourcing weapons and war machines from Russia, India is charting a new course. It is aimed squarely West. In what analysts are calling a tectonic shift, the world's largest democracy is reducing its dependence on Russian arms. The shift is driven by rising quality concerns, supply chain delays and undeniable impact of the Ukraine war on Moscow's military-industrial complex. It is major opening for the United States and European defence giants – which are now competing for a bigger slice of India's $100 billion defence modernisation pie. From fighter jets to submarines, India's procurement patterns are changing fast. Just over a decade ago, around 76% of India's defence imports came from Russia. By last year, that figure plunged to 36% (the lowest in over half a century), according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. What's Behind the Shift? Speaking to Bloomberg and other news outlets, Indian officials expressed concerns over Russian equipment delays and the creeping influence of Chinese components in Moscow's supply chain. Locked in a tense border standoff with Beijing, that is a red flag wrapped in a strategic emergency for India. US and French defence suppliers are rolling out the red carpet. Multi-billion-dollar deals have been signed for drones, jet engines, howitzers and surveillance aircraft. The India-US defence pipeline is booming – 31 MQ-9B drones from General Atomics, co-production of GE-F414 jet engines with HAL and a new 10-year roadmap for military technology sharing sealed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-profile 2023 US visit. Oil for Guns Despite the defence pivot, India has not completely abandoned Moscow. Russian oil continues to flow to Indian ports, and legacy weapons still need spare parts. But India is playing the long game – betting on Western tech to modernise its forces while maintaining just enough ties with Russia to keep current systems operational. Still, experts warn the window for Russian defence exports to India is closing fast. Russia's future role in India's arsenal will be mostly spare parts and nuclear submarines. That is a massive downgrade from being India's primary arms supplier. Enter the Americans Under the newly inked U.S.-India defence framework, Washington has gone all in. Co-development projects, industrial tie-ups and technology transfers are now central to the relationship. India's STA-1 status, which allows streamlined access to sensitive US tech remains intact, and defence exports from America are rising year after year. As U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick put it bluntly, 'India is finally buying from the United States. That changes everything.' The GE–HAL engine deal and the $3 billion drone purchase are just the beginning. Talks are underway for the co-production of Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stryker combat vehicles and more maritime surveillance aircraft. The goal is to develop a Made-in-India defence industry powered by Western innovation. China Looms Large The important reason behind India's urgency is China. With Beijing flexing its muscles in the Indo-Pacific, New Delhi is teaming up with the United States in joint naval exercises, anti-submarine warfare development and AI-driven battlefield technology. Collaborations between Indian defence startups and US firms such as Anduril and Mahindra on autonomous systems are already in motion. The broader vision is building a defence tech ecosystem that fuses American scale with Indian ingenuity. But hurdles remain. US export controls, IP restrictions and black-box components continue to pose challenge for Indian planners. Past efforts such as the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) stumbled over bureaucracy and lack of political will. But the clock is ticking. With a $100 billion procurement budget and China's aggression unrelenting, India needs results, not just MoUs. The newly launched INDUS-X initiative and the iCET tech alliance offer hope, but execution will be key. Once the star supplier, Russia is slowly being sidelined. Led by the United States, the West is stepping in with big weapons, big money and even bigger ambitions. And in the middle, India is leveraging its market, military needs and geopolitical clout to build a defence future that is fast, flexible and free of Moscow's grip.
