true colours
| Date :10-Sep-2020 |
BY opening fire, though in air, in an attempt to intimidate an Indian position in Ladakh, obviously with an idea of overpowering the Indian troops, China has shown more of its dirty true colours. Even as the Indian troops remained unruffled, and responded appropriately, this aggressive Chinese posturing did show that Beijing will keep making things more and more difficult to be sorted out sensibly. Seen from that angle, Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar is right when he insists that no credible solution will emerge with such a swashbuckling approach adopted by China. Dr. Jaishankar communicates India’s desire for a credible solution in clear terms. He says that the dream of the ‘Asian Century’ will not come true if two of the region’s superpowers are at odds with each other. This is a critical observation whose import cannot be missed. There is little doubt that India has adopted a tit-for-tat approach so that China learns the right lessons about the emergence of an India that is far different from the one in 1962.
In order to consolidate its position, India has also engaged itself in sprucing up its defences at every possible place and has added a lot of fashioned its responses in economic and other related spheres. Even as it has all that, India is also aware fully that China is following an expansionist path that cannot throw up a solution.
The latest incident of the Chinese troops opening fire near an Indian position, however, comes as the worst expression of Beijing’s thoughtlessness and shallowness. The incident also marks the end of an old treaty of not opening fire along the LAC in order to ensure tranquility between the two sides. Pictorial evidence is also available to show how the Chinese troops advanced menacingly towards the Indian position with sticks and iron rods and machetes in their hands -- ready for a physical conflict without bullets. Obviously, the Chinese had come prepared for a serious physical scuffle, almost on the lines of what it tried to do in a night in the Galwan Valley. In this particular incident of opening fire in the air, the Chinese troops had approached the Indian position around 6 in the evening on the threshold of evening and night in the Himalayas.
These details suggest the Chinese intentions of creating serious trouble. This development is ugly, to say the least. It also suggests that China is interested in escalation of trouble -- and possibly benefit from the ensuing confusion. Perhaps, Beijing expects India to get swept off its feet with such kind of constant irritation at the border. Perhaps, Beijing wants to keep the pot boiling and tire India out. And all these assumptions are absolutely wrong. India is fully prepared mentally and militarily for a long haul of conflict, no matter the cost. Even if it is pursuing the path of negotiation, New Delhi is not apprehensive about a probable armed conflict of whatever nature, length and intensity.
This was what Defence Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh communicated to his Chinese counterpart in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) a few days ago. In fact, it was Beijing that had sought that meeting, a request which India accepted with a larger goal in mind. In no uncertain terms, Mr. Rajnath Singh told the Chinese delegation that India was not an agreeable customer if Beijing dropped common sense from its consideration.
All that does not seem to have had a right effect on Beijing. Of course, such violation of good sense will keep taking place from Beijing’s side as the hostility would escalate, and India will have to be ready to handle all those. The biggest benefit of the Indian stance is not a fringe one. India has been able to communicate to China and the world that it is just unwilling to be a pushover. Beijing does understand this, but is now trapped in its own actions. It has now become a point of fake prestige for Beijing to stay put in the conflict of its own making. Beijing also seems to realise that in the current hostility, India is a gainer from the point of the assertion of its national will.