US Game for Chinese Checkers

Last few months have seen a lot of action on China front. One after the other
we had disturbing provocations from border areas and later with Arunachal
Pradesh and then Dalai Lama. There was attempt to stop approval of project
funding from Asian Development Bank. There was news of Chinese project
in PoK and also a construction of dam on Chinese side of Brahmaputra river.
And to rub salt on injury, China issued special visas for Kashmiri visitors.
There were attempts from Indian establishment to downplay the incidents
and simultaneously actions were initiated to fortify border management.

The final blow came when Obama bowed down to the Chinese designs and
conceded Chinese leadership of South Asia. So all the jig saw puzzles have
fallen in place. It was not without any reason that Chinese were nibbling at
India for last few months. Chinese wanted to demonstrate to US that for
them handling India is child’s play and South Asia is their playing field.
They succeeded and how.

India has reacted sharply enough to register the protest against attempts of
any third party in associating with India Pakistan bilateral issues. US
Ambassador has been taking pains to assuage Indian feelings. With Prime
Minister Man Mohan Singh scheduled to visit White House next week, it is
any body’s guess what will be on top of mind, if not on top of agenda, of
mandarins of MEA and PMO.

India needs to unfold its strategic vision of South Asia with concrete
milestones which will form the cornerstone of its foreign policy in the
region. Our recent engagements with Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Maldives,
Bhutan and Bangla Desh must throw up the contours of nuances in
unmistakable terms. So far our policy responses have been reactive and not
proactive. We need to shift gears and ensure that we are on the right track.

We have always repeated ab initio that we do not need intervention of any

third country in solving Kashmir issue. And yet there has always been
hidden hand of a super power, earlier Russia and now US, in formulation of
our responses on this vital issue. There is nothing wrong in using good
relations of friendly countries to solve international complex problems.
However, a line has to be clearly drawn where even friends have to realize
that they are overstepping.

It is for India to choose which of her friends can help to resolve any issue if
at all needed. US should not have taken on itself the role of self appointed
guardian of India and sought Chinese role in solving India Pakistan issues.
If US is preoccupied with Afghanistan problem and expects India to give in
to Pakistan to mitigate their problems to permit focus on western borders,
US is short sighted and trying for a tactical gain at the cost of strategic and
permanent loss to India.

Kashmir issue can not be a byproduct of US’s Af-Pak policy imperatives.

US should not forget the historical facts that Afghan issue was not India’s
creation; rather it was creation of Pakistan at the behest of US in last two
decades. Pakistan’s established involvements in terror acts all over the world
and nuclear proliferation have resulted in the situation which has become a
hot potato for US. US now should not drop the potato in the courtyard of
China. China, a veto wielding member of UNSC, can not and does not
qualify to play regional super-cop after nuclear proliferation to Pakistan.

Conduct of US foreign policy during President Obama’s visit to China has

been like a Commonwealth country head’s visit to UK during the British
Empire days. Hope the visit of Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh to
Washington DC next week will be a meeting of two sovereign nations and
they will agree to disagree instead of forced agreements and cosmetic
smiles. US should not cover up its mistakes with niceties of State banquet or
small gesture of nicely worded goodies. US lost sheen off its status as a
reliable partner of India in newly forged relationship in last five years.

In last few months US has been maneuvering to thrust NPT regime on India
through back door. Now there is a move to establish “International Nuclear
Security Centre for Excellence” in India. The objective is to ostensibly run
courses on safeguards inspections and other measures for checking
proliferation. This is back door attempt to control India’s nuclear power
plants and activities. How appropriate it would have been to set it up such a
centre in China or Pakistan which are known for nuclear proliferation!

The credibility of US intentions is at stake and needs to be addressed to

restore the confidence. India should safeguard her interests on all the fronts
with proactive measures and reset of policies where required. India should
use the opportunity to address the Chinese from the lawns of White House to
set the records straight within the diplomatic leeway available.

Vijay M. Deshpande
Corporate Advisor,
Strategic Management Initiative,
Pune

November 20, 2009

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