India-China standoff: Has India become a threat to its neighbors?
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When soldiers from the two most populous countries in the world, who spend more than $300 billion on their militaries have a stand-off, it is a thing of concern to many.
The clashes reportedly come in the wake of a new access point that India opened in Arunchal Pradesh in India’s northeast, a region that is also claimed by China. China claims 90,000 sq km of its territory is under India’s control. This is seen as the worst India-China border tension since the 2017 Docklam face-off which continued for 73 days. The Docklam face-off erupted after Indian soldiers stopped the PLA (People’s Liberation Army of China) from building a road in Docklam, which is claimed by Bhutan, a close ally of India.
The skirmishes between these two don’t match the ones between India and Pakistan where civilian casualties happen more often than not.
Ever since 1975, no casualties have occurred on the Sino-Indian border which leads many to believe that the two are unlikely to resort to all-out combat. But the chances of direct confrontation might have increased owing to the two sides trying to exert their influence in the region and beyond. Ever since the abrogation of Article 370 in Indian-administered Kashmir, which stripped the region of its autonomous status, China has seemed alarmed and concerned about areas which it lays claims to. China had also labelled the abrogation of Article 370 as ‘unacceptable.’
India’s economy is many folds smaller than China’s but when it comes to the BJP government, they think they can count on China’s main rival, the United States. In recent days, President Donald Trump offered to mediate between the two states, similar to his offer to arbitrate between Pakistan and India over Kashmir; a polite offer, not an intervention.
Soon after stripping Indian-administered Kashmir of its autonomous status, India issued new maps of its border which showed 62 Sq km of Nepali territory known as Kalapani, as its own. Earlier this month, the union defense minister, Rajnath Singh, inaugurated a road in the area claimed by Nepal. When Nepal protested, Indian army chief General M M Naravane said the Nepali agitation was on behalf of ‘someone else’-- pointing toward Beijing.
Naila Mahsud
According to Alice Wells, a top US diplomat for South Asia: “For anyone who was under any illusion that the Chinese aggression was only rhetorical, I think they need to speak to India.” She said the skirmishes represented China’s attempts to exert itself just like it had done in the South China Sea.
Under the BJP government, India is trying to redraw borders with little regard to its neighboring countries. But by the looks of it, the third time is not the charm for New Delhi. Another sore patch between China and India is Tibet, a region which China says is its integral part.
Soon after stripping Indian-administered Kashmir of its autonomous status, India issued new maps of its border which showed 62 Sq km of Nepali territory known as Kalapani, as its own. Earlier this month, the union defense minister, Rajnath Singh, inaugurated a road in the area claimed by Nepal. When Nepal protested, Indian army chief General M M Naravane said the Nepali agitation was on behalf of ‘someone else’-- pointing toward Beijing.
A strain in the relationship between New Delhi and Beijing was expected to take place not only because of border issues but also due to broader opposing geopolitical interests. Last month, the BJP government put curbs on Chinese investment, an act Beijing called ‘discriminatory.’ India’s support for Tibet and its growing security and defense ties with the US, Japan and Australia have also caused quite some suspicion from Beijing.
China’s groundswell of closer ties with Pakistan- which has long-running disputes with India- and Nepal have not pleased New Delhi either. Moreover, China’s ‘too big to fail’ Belt and Road project and its massive defense budget pose a serious geopolitical threat to India. China’s defense budget at $261 billion is three times bigger than India’s at $71 billion.
As has been stated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, India’s expansionist policies are becoming a threat to the region. The first to bear the brunt of the discriminatory policies was Bangladesh through the citizenship act. Then it was Nepal when India tried to swallow a chunk of Nepali land. Then it was Pakistan, and now China through increasing border issues.
Can India afford to have strained relationships with so many of its neighboring countries? Or is New Delhi’s harshly nationalistic and expansionist style of government now the new normal? As for Indian media, where pigeons seem to have replaced human beings, nothing is too surprising.
*Naila Mahsud is a Pakistani political and International relations researcher, with a focus on regional politics and security issues. @MahsudNaila
