Usman Aziz |
India has been enjoying the tremendous support of United States since the emergence of China as an economic power of the world. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s recent visit has also brought new agreements of billions of dollars of arms supply and technology sharing with an obsolete tinge in a joint statement for Pakistan, the same repeated stance of terrorism export and nurturing. Pakistan is clearly shifting itself from capitalist world to socialist bloc of China and Russia.
In particular, since Imran Khan has come into power this shift has become more evident. Imran Khan in his election campaign processions repeatedly declared its intention to follow “Chinese Model” to lift the masses from below poverty line. So it was quite obvious after assuming the office of Prime Minister Imran Khan would surely incline to China rather than seeking support from United States alone. But at the same time, the new government has acted smartly and did well during the visit of Mike Pompeo and managed a joint statement of foreign ministers declaring willingness to “reset” their relations.
In the rapidly changing world politics the situation is rather ambivalent and sometimes it seems that India is more close to China than America as Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership proposal of China has involved India too.
India always keeps diversify diplomatic options and never showed all-out support to any influential power of the world since inception. It never abandons the alternative option and keeps its doors open, the country has played very smartly on the diplomatic front and proved a shrewd manipulator. Without anything on Indian purchase of Russian Air Defense Missile System and Oil Supply from Iran, the country has managed to win a much-awaited agreement on Communication Compatibility and security system with US in the recent visit which though would intensify friction and arms race in the region.
Read more: US uneasy as India buys S-400
The question boggling many is, why such a huge support is being provided to India by United States when this South Asian nation has no history to be a party in case of conflict between the major powers of the world? Is it all just to make India great or putting it in a position to take off as leading power of the world, as the statement issued after 2+2 dialogue in recent visit there is a paragraph on North Korean nuclear issue? So world issues and statement about them has started to float from India.
No satisfying or delineating answer to this myth, is it just to curtail advancement of China? Or a parallel future influential source in world politics and affairs? Without going into direct conflict with China what other options America has to slow down the progress of China towards becoming a superpower? India is a neighboring country of China and has a history of conflicts with the same but those conflicts never deter both countries to develop their bilateral relations.
The new government has acted smartly and did well during the visit of Mike Pompeo and managed a joint statement of foreign ministers declaring willingness to “reset” their relations.
They trade on a big scale, Indian students study in China and vice versa. So cordial relations are persistent then how it can be presumed that the biggest South Asian country would turn hostile against its neighbor for American interests? The only possibility could be both India and U.S interests become alike and in pursuance of these the former becomes an ally with US against its neighbor.
Read more: Pakistan’s Cold War Technology shrinks the effectiveness of India’s S-400 ABM…
One other aspect is of worth importance and it is the history of battling of India since independence. The country has battled against Pakistan for three or four times but never engaged in a full-scale war against a bigger country than its own size. But taking side with America is something different. At present, the tariff war has ignited by America against Chinese imports in the country with an alleged figure of suffering $335 billion trade deficit with Asian trade giant.
But no signs of aligning with America in this trade brawl. Since 2000 United States direct investment in India is on the rise steadily and last year stats showed it at $44.6 billion. The largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) source of India is Mauritius according to Indian Reserve Bank which is followed by the United States. So it was started with economic ties that lead to strategic partnership.
They trade on a big scale, Indian students study in China and vice versa. So cordial relations are persistent then how it can be presumed that the biggest South Asian country would turn hostile against its neighbor for American interests?
But we cannot ignore the facts of US direct investment in China which is over $100 billion dollar so stakes are even higher then what leads to conflict, attempts to replace the sole power of the world and resist the decisions? Leading in some matters and leaving behind Americans? But protectionism is not an answer it could be the advancement to counter the emerging trade giant from Asia.
Read more: ‘India will find out’: Trump threatens
Building Indian economic base to allow it to have more for its strategic expenditures and to counter the quickly increasing influence of China could be presented as an answer but why America, not itself doing it? Is it more suitable to engage a neighboring country of China with it and prolong American rule over the world? It is very tricky so far. The United States has emerged as a nation more concerned about its own problems and with diminishing interests in things happening around the world.
The country has been in search of money all the time as Trump administration has portrayed itself through its policies. With such admissions, the sole Superpower of the world has been losing its stature and now Europe the biggest ally of the US is prone to take decisions on its own. The latest Indo Russia S-400 Missile deal is also not in conformity of Indian role as playing second fiddle to America.
In the rapidly changing world politics the situation is rather ambivalent and sometimes it seems that India is more close to China than America as Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership proposal of China has involved India too.
Usman Aziz is a political and defence analyst. The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.