Sino-Indian stand-off: An opportunity in reimaging India

We must beat Chinese designs by demonstrating vision of a better world order with respect for freedom and liberty

Hari Hara Mishra | June 26, 2020


#China   #Line of Actual Control   #army   #diplomacy Galwan Valley   #Defence  
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Victory Park that commemorates the victory of Soviet people in the great Patriotic War of 1941-45, in Moscow on June 24.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Victory Park that commemorates the victory of Soviet people in the great Patriotic War of 1941-45, in Moscow on June 24.

After the Galwan Valley incident of June 15, in which our brave army fought valiantly and thwarted Chinese incursion, recent reports as appearing in various publications suggest Chinese troops have come back in larger numbers to the area near the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In other words, de-escalation efforts are getting negated, and we have to prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best.

First and foremost, in military terms, our army is one of the best and combat ready. Rightfully, the government has given them a free hand to deal with the situation. Let us be clear, the professional and brave army knows the situation and strategy to handle the situation much better. Giving them functional autonomy and meeting their needs best, is what we the civilians can do. We repose trust and confidence that our armed forces will leave no stone unturned to secure our motherland. Supplemented that by a diplomacy where we must communicate clearly that while we do not fear to negotiate, we do not negotiate out of fear.

Second, as a nation we must stand united. Let there be more regular and periodic engagement of the ruling party and the opposition. Communication in time of crisis plays an important role.  While contours of communication will keep on changing in view of changing situation dynamics, it must have clarity, credibility and transparency. This is the need of hour.

Third, jingoism is no substitute for national interest. For growth, we need peace and stability. While strengthening our defence preparedness and building up supporting infrastructures, we must discourage war mongering.  A war cry only benefits arms lobby who have vested interests to whip up military hysteria.

Fourth, the recent initiatives of boycotting China and Chinese goods have an instant appeal. However, let us look dispassionately. A protectionist India will be a throwback to the pre-1991 era, and we may return to what used to be dubbed as the Hindu rate of Growth. We must make our goods competitive to beat them in pricing, quality and customer friendliness. It was long time back that power used to flow from the barrel of gun. Now it is the growth and development and economic muscle that count much. We have the best demographic dividend. We as a nation are young and talented. We must innovate and adopt technology to produce the cost-efficient best in areas of manufacturing and services 

Fifth, we are at a turning point in global history. The bipolar world consisting of capitalism and communism is history now. For last few decades, the US has been the dominant global power. China has been rising as a challenger. However, they are now shunned globally, as originator of coronavirus that has brought the single most disruption of the century across the globe. India as the largest democracy has much more acceptability now to play an important role in balance of power.

We must beat Chinese designs by demonstrating vision of a better world order with respect for freedom and liberty.

It is time for all of us to take a solemn pledge that the sacrifice of those martyrs who laid their will not go in vain. And we as a nation will emerge stronger.

Mishra is a policy analyst and columnist.

Comments

 

Other News

NSE ranks 4th globally in IPO fundraising

The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has emerged as the fourth largest exchange in the world in terms of IPO fundraising during the first half of calendar year 2025 (H1CY25), according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Between January and June 2025, the NSE raised $5.51

On World Youth Skills Day, let’s ask: What will it take to retain Gen Z?

On World Youth Skills Day, observed every year on July 15, we’re reminded that the future of any economy depends on how well it invests in its youth. In India, where over half the population is under 30, the question of youth skills is not just about employment, it’s about meaning, wellbeing, a

Modi’s Ghana, Namibia visit a transformative chapter in India-Africa ties

Prime minister Narendra Modi last week completed a visit to five countries of Global South: Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil and Namibia. The objective was to reignite old existing partnerships and to project India’s leadership and influence in the Global South community. 

MoEFCC and CAQM launch ‘The Breath of Change’

To tackle air pollution in Delhi-NCR through public participation and creative engagement, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) have jointly launched a strategic communication campaign titled The Breath of Change.

India well on way to becoming a global IP powerhouse

Intellectual Property (IP) has evolved into a critical component of innovation and global competitiveness in India’s economy. As businesses pivot toward intangible assets like data, algorithms and branding, IP protection is no longer a matter of formality—it is a strategic imperative. The last

War and Peace: The conundrum of conflict in West Asia

Israel and Palestine have been the harbinger of troubles for the last 80-odd years. It is an unending and persistent saga of conflict and attrition which has bloodied the political, societal and economic turf in West Asia for long. The scale of wars, which were more than skirmishes of the day, ranged from

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now





Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter