SEETHING INDIA

AS THE gory details of the violent face-off between the troops of India and China at the Galwan Valley tumble out, pointing to the backstabbing by the Chinese and the heroic response of the Indian soldiers, a raging sentiment against the vile neighbour is brewing in Indian hearts. The country is still mourning its 20 martyrs whose supreme sacrifice for the motherland will be etched in the memory forever. At the same time the country is taking immense pride in the courageous response of the Indian soldiers who eliminated as many as 43 Chinese in a brutal primitive-method scuffle. In modern military history, the backtracking of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in face of the fury mounted by the Indian troops will go down as a major embarrassment for the Dragon.

China has refused to release the number of casualties on its side. It never does, fearing dent in public perception back home. But the fact remains that the Galwan face-off has left China with a bloody nose and a bruised soul. Deception is the middle name of the Chinese Army. It is a rulebook reserved for the Indian forces. But the paradigm of India’s military and diplomatic response has seen a major shift in the recent years. The Chinese hubris have been followed by reversal in fortunes in the last many attempts of aggression. The Galwan episode can bring more reversal in the Chinese fortunes in sectors important to its national pride as well as economy. The anti-China sentiment has grown multifold across India. There is a major thrust to the ‘Boycott Chinese Goods’ campaign at all levels.

A hurt feeling of being cheated is driving the campaign and the intensity has only gone up, even more than what had happened after the Doka La stand-off of 2017. Whatever the intricacies of the trade deficit and economic impact of the campaign on businesses in both India and China, this time the public mood just cannot be pushed away as a temporary rage. The feeling has not just remained a social media hashtag, it has percolated deep inside the Indian psyche, galvanising the society for a revenge in whatever way. There is no place for politics over the death of our brave soldiers and our Army’s capabilities. No political force can ignore the reality, imbecile comments of a few opposition netas notwithstanding. China must pay through the nose for this misadventure.

This is the time to hit China where it hurts the most. It has much to lose in commerce and related segments. India is a big market for the Chinese goods and Beijing can ill-afford further stoking of anti-China sentiment in the Indian hearts. The campaign against Chinese products, if sustained for a longer period, can affect China’s economy. Whether official or unofficial, whether at Government level or individual level, Indian markets need to make a resolve to boycott any product that comes from China. This is an opportune moment for the India Inc. to rise to the occasion and provide alternatives to the Chinese products. The demand-supply chain is too strong in India for the cheap Chinese goods. Alternatives for cheap Chinese goods are too few and far between.

The petty traders seek cheap goods for maximum profit as commerce mostly takes precedence over national sentiment. This chain has to be broken with a strong public resolve. Given the present mood in India and the overwhelming support to the national cause, there is a strong possibility of such an incredible thing happening. Most of the Chinese products will automatically vanish if India implements strict laws for quality control on Chinese imports. A strong political will is needed to shape this official response to China. The general sentiment must get its due respect to avenge our soldiers’ sacrifice.