How can China be defeated by India? But before that we must ask can China be defeated? Still before that we must be conversant of the definition of this ‘defeat’. Does it mean the defeat by military means and war, should it be in the field of economy or it should mean the total submission of China to Indian wishes and dictates? If defeat means any of these it is nearly impossible to defeat China, at least at this stage of human history.
But international relations have different meaning of defeat alongwith the one that is used at the individual and other levels of human existence. Here the biggest defeat is if a nation fails to fulfill her national interests and the victorious is the one where the objectives of the national interests get accomplished. It is victory in the latter case even if the country concerned overtly surrenders before other power or powers of the world.
Same rules should apply to the relations between India and China but in practice that is not the case. Defeat by many Indians means the defeat of China by military means, or by boycotting the products of the Chinese manufacturing and industrial sector to hurt China economically and or by using international pressure and influence to win.
On paper if not all but some are possible but in practice, I think, none is feasible and workable. None of these if actually resorted to can work against China and in case they work the benefits to India might not be forthcoming. Therefore, a more viable and workable strategy is needed to defeat China, defeat means to defeat only those of her practices, polices and intentions which hurt the Indian interests. Can there be any such strategy, yes there can be and that is workable too.
So the first thing that India needs to do is to give up the idea of defeating China and start a comprehensive strategy where China will respect the Indian interests. Overtly and covertly China feels that India is a threat, some of the Indian policies and inclinations do give Chinese an impression that India is a challenge, or is going to be a big challenge. In a sense China keeps her ready to face whatever might be coming from India.
Chinese inclination, and love, towards Pakistan is part of that readiness. There may be economic considerations, global compulsions and domestic necessities behind the strong Pakistan-China relations but role of India in these relations cannot be overlooked. For China the continuous engagement and concern of India with Pakistan frees her from any worry or threat from the Indian side. If India is able to end that worry and threat from the minds of Chinese the Pakistan-China relations will start declining.
Sorting out the issues for India is the next big thing that could leave very less with China to play against India. The sorting of issues includes both the internal and the external ones, it includes resolving the Kashmir issue internally and externally to sort out the differences with Pakistan. Unfortunately many Indians are of the view that solving Kashmir issue means surrendering which is a misplaced notion. Solving Kashmir issue doesn’t mean ceding Kashmir to Pakistan; it rather means to find a workable formula which could be acceptable to all, and beneficial to all.
International relations work purely on self interest basis; there hardly are any other moral considerations or handicaps. India naturally should see how much it benefits irrespective of the benefits or losses that others may gain or suffer. I am sure like many others that resolution of Kashmir issue is in Indian interests. It could aid India to take a new and more important role on the world scale which China would have to respect. Resolution of Kashmir issues, it is reiterated, is not giving up the claims on Kashmir. It begins with putting the claims more vigorously before the others and then proceeding to make mutual concessions, wherever possible, before a common ground is reached.
India and Pakistan have a common history, common culture and shared geography, with animosity or love they have to live together. The other option for them is to suffer mutual destruction and losses, in fact, they are suffering dearly. They have to learn to live together; they should try to live with peace, if not benefiting the other but not hurting each other’s interests. With that attitude most of their problems and mutual distrust would evaporate and China will be one force less which could be used and is being used against India.
Coming to the specific issue of terror and terrorism, India has invested too must of resources and energy towards Pakistan. Pakistan no doubt considers India as enemy, Indian concern towards that end is genuine but a mature country like India is expected to be conversant with the moves and manipulations of other countries that may be using the mutual animosity of India and Pakistan to their advantage. India should know that China is not serving Pakistan by blocking the resolution in the UN; she is doing it for her own interests. It may seem the same thing but there is a lot of difference in it. If viewed this way we could say China is a beneficiary and a big beneficiary of the animosity of the current state of affairs in the subcontinent, without suffering any costs.
By taking action against Pakistan and leaving the Chinese side or any other side which might be benefiting, unattended is the work half done. India should look on all angles and sides. Here the Intentions is not to tell that India should go and attack China as it did with Pakistan, that is not advocated and that could be suicidal. Better here is to disrupt that benefit chain.
China should not be able to feel secure from Indian side because of India’s engagements with Pakistan. She should be demonstrated in no uncertain terms that India is not ready to compromise her integrity. She should find it futile to keep the tensions high between India and Pakistan. China should feel secured from the Indian side because India is a peace loving country and has no interests in attacking or interfering in Chinese affairs but not because India is engaged with Pakistan in hostile relations.
India has to reconsider her policies towards her neighbors; she has to begin dealing with the issues logically and holistically. Once that is done things will start falling in line. It will begin fulfilling Indian national interests. That really is a defeat for China and victory for India for the simple reason that China is robed of the leverage to play against India behind the scenes. Some degrees of wisdom, prudence, intelligence, grit and courage is expected from the New India, no?
