China’s India policy: Murder with borrowed knives

Fears that China could employ a strategy of “murdering with borrowed knives” against India does not seem totally unfounded. A

leading Chinese think-tank , whose views count with the Beijing’s Communist administration, has put forward an outrageous suggestion that China should break India into 20-30 independent states with the help of “friendly countries” like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

The article, written by Zhan Lue and titled “If China takes a little action , the so-called Great Indian Federation can be broken up,” has aroused strong sentiments in India where many see this as a reflection of the hardline thinking in Beijing.

Published on the website of a think tank that advises Beijing on global and strategic issues, the article makes a series of preposterous suggestions saying that a fragmented India would be in China’s interests and also lead to prosperity in the region. Responding to the inflammatory nature of the suggestions, India issued a warning and a word of caution.

“We continue to maintain that opinions and assessment on the state of India-China relations should be expressed after careful judgment based on the long-term interests of building a stable relationship between the two countries,’’ MEA official spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said.

Giving the benefit of doubt to Beijing, MEA said the article “appears to be the expression of individual opinion and does not accord with the officially stated position of China on India-China relations” , conveyed to India on several occasions most recently by the State Councilor Dai Bingguo during border talks last week.

Nevertheless, the reaction suggests that the article is not being taken lightly by New Delhi. China watchers point out that an article of this nature would have been vetted by the Chinese government. The article, which is published on the website of the China International Institute for Strategic Studies (CIISS), suggests that China should work towards breaking up India into 20-30 nation-states like Europe so that social reforms in South Asia can be achieved, the caste system can be eradicated and the region can march towards prosperity.

Asking the Communist party to exploit regional sentiments in India, the article says that China can seek support of friendly countries including Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan to further this strategy. The article terms India as “Hindu religious state” that is based on caste exploitation which is coming in the way of modernisation.

It further argues that China in its own interest and the progress of whole of Asia should join forces with “different nationalities” like Assamese, Tamils and Kashmiris and support them in establishing independent nation states of their own. The article further said Beijing should support the United Liberation Front of Asom to help achieve independence for Assam from India.

Yet another suggestion is that China give political support to Bangladesh to encourage ethnic Bengalis in India get rid of “Indian control” and join Bangladesh as one Bengali nation. The strategist contends that if that is not possible then China should encourage the creation of a Bengali nation state for the aim of weakening India’s expansion and then recover the 90,000 sq km territory in Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as its own.

The publication of the article has coincided with the 13th round of India-China border talks, which both sides have termed as positive. But pressure points have remained in Sino-Indian ties which have continued to flare up at regular intervals.

This includes the recent attempt by China to block an ADB loan to Arunachal Pradesh. Strategic experts here see it as a reflection of the growing hardline approach in China towards India. `This is part and parcel of hardline approach of think tanks (in China). They are trying to take advantage of India’s pliability,’’ said Mr Brahma Chellaney.

Source: Economic Times

India can’t match China’s military force: Navy Chief

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta has set off a storm by saying India cannot match China military force. Is it a warning from India’s military that the government needs to hear?

“In military terms, both conventional and non-conventional, we neither have the capability nor the intention to match China force for force,” said Admiral Sureesh Mehta.

For a nuclear-armed military representing the interests of a billion-plus people, the lack of confidence is quite striking. India’s military leadership has made a stunning confession that New Delhi doesn’t have the stomach for a fight, if push came to shove on the disputed Sino-Indian boundary.

“Whether in terms of GDP, defence spend or any other parameter, the gap between the two is too wide to bridge and is getting wider by the day,” he said.

Is Mehta expressing frustration at the slow pace of India’s military modernisation? While India spends about $30 billion annually on defence, China spends at least thrice as much, although some estimates go up to $ 200 billion.

Its military is twice as large as India and its nuclear arsenal far well proven.

“The eco penalties resulting from military conflict would have grave consequences for both nations. It would therefore be in both our interests to cooperate with reach other,” he said.

The question is, does China want nothing but cooperation with India, as Mehta would want? It continues to proliferate missile and nuclear technology to Pakistan. Its growing footprint in the Indian Ocean challenges India’s pre-eminence.

Its presence in ports ranging from Sittwe in Myanmar to Hambantotta in Lanka and Gwadar in Pakistan suggests a plan for the strategic encirclement of India. The Navy Chief’s dramatic statement may have been a desperate cry to counter the Dragon.

Source: IBN LIVE

China to attack India by 2012: Defence Expert

Bangalore: China will attack India by 2012 to distract the attention of its own people from “unprecedented” internal dissent, growing unemployment and financial problems that are threatening the hold of Communists in that country, according to a leading defence expert.

“China will launch an attack on India before 2012. There are multiple reasons for a desperate Beijing to teach India the final lesson, thereby ensuring Chinese supremacy in Asia in this century,” said Bharat Verma, Editor, Indian Defence Review.

According to Verma, the recession has “shut the Chinese exports shop”, developing an “unprecedented internal social unrest” which in return, was severely jeopardizing Communists grip over the society. Rising unemployment, flight of capital worth billions of dollars, depletion of its foreign exchange reserves and growing internal dissent are several other reasons for this assessment.

“The growing irrelevance of Pakistan, their right hand that operates against India on their behest, is increasing the Chinese nervousness,” adding, the U.S. President Barak Obama’s Afghan-Pak policy was basically a Pak-Afghan policy that has “intelligently set thief to catch the thief”.

“Beijing was already rattled, with its proxy Pakistan now literally embroiled in a civil war, losing its sheen against India.” The assessment also states that China is worried over the India’s growing alliances with the U.S. and the West, because it has the potential to create a technologically superior counterpoise.

“All these three concerns of Chinese Communists are best addressed by waging a war against pacifist India to achieve multiple strategic objectives,” said Verma.

As China allowed North Korea to test underground nuclear explosion is a hidden manner, and carry out missile trials, it was also “increasing its naval presence in South China Sea to coerce into submission those opposing its claim on the Sprately Islands,” the expert said.

It would be inexpedient for recession-hit China to move against the Western interests, including Japan, at this point of time. “Therefore, the most attractive option is to attack a soft target like India and forcibly occupy its territory in the Northeast,” said Verma.

On ground, India is least prepared to face the Chinese threat, he says. Verma puts a series of questions on India’s response to repulse the Chinese game plan or whether Indian leadership would be able to “take the heat of war”.

“Is Indian military equipped to face the two-front wars by Beijing and Islamabad? Is the Indian civil administration geared to meet the internal security challenges that the external actors will sponsor simultaneously through their doctrine of unrestricted warfare? “The answers are an unequivocal ‘no’. Pacifist India is not ready by a long shot either on the internal or the external front,” he opined.

Source : Siliconindia news bureau