Global Times, a Chinese publication long considered to reflect the views of the ruling Communist Party, warned India against becoming a ‘US pawn’ in the new Cold War between China and the West, saying its economy could suffer as a result. It said in a commentary that India has little to gain from engaging in a US-China conflict, and said the Modi government must face the new geopolitical developments objectively and rationally. US and China are currently locked in a escalating rivalry over the coronavirus, trade and numerous other issues.
“Under the current circumstance, India needs to be careful not to include the US factor in its handling of any problem in its relations with China, otherwise it will only complicate the issue. The same is true of the recent China-India border tension,” the report noted.
A border stand-off is underway between India and China in Ladakh; in eastern Ladakh, reports claimed that Indian and Chinese troops were locked in an eyeball-to-eyeball face-off in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie. The Indian Army had significantly ramped up its presence in sensitive border areas in North Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh besides Ladakh to send across a message that India will not be wilting under any aggressive military posturing by China.
“If in a new Cold War, India leans toward the US or becomes a US pawn attacking China, the economic and trade ties between the two Asian neighbors will suffer a devastating blow. And it would be too much for the Indian economy to take such a hit at the current stage,” the commentary said, noting that since the lockdown is being withdrawn, China is “still willing to offer support to India’s lockdown lifting by strengthening bilateral cooperation to help its economic recovery and deepening bilateral trade ties”.
Post the COVID-19 lockdown, the Central government has asked the stressed MSME sector to look for opportunities in the COVID-19 crisis, by moving away from China. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari urged the industry to replace foreign imports with domestic production. “This is an opportunity for India,” Gadkari said, citing the example of Japan where the government asked the industries to withdraw their investments from China and move elsewhere. (The week)
