Indo-China border clash: The way forward

In an interview with NewsX, Foreign policy expert Dr Suvrokamal Dutta suggests that India should form an alliance with USA, Israel, Australia, Japan and South Korea to take China head on.

Q1) In the view of what has happened in Galwan, how do you think India can teach a lesson to China – diplomatically and economically?

After the recent flare-up between India and China in the Galwan Valley, time has come for India to teach China a lesson once for all. China unilaterally tried to capture the Galwan valley, which is a part and parcel of India. The barbarism of the PLA shown in their recent assault against the Indian army in which 20 of our soldiers were martyred is beyond all civilized norms. By this brutal action, PLA has proved that it is not a modern professional army but a group, which can be addressed as a terrorist outfit, similar to the ISIS.

It is time for us to isolate China diplomatically at the global level. We should warn China to give back the whole of Aksai Chin, which is our land. We should, from now on, address Aksai Chin as Aksai Hind. We should immediately recognise Tibet and Xinjiang as Independent Nations and allow them to open their embassies in New Delhi, India.

We should allow Taiwan and Hong Kong to open their embassies in New Delhi India and recognize Hong Kong as a separate Nation. India should form a group of USA, Israel, Australia, Japan and South Korea and take China head on. It should take Russia into confidence. Economically, Indian people and Indian Industries should completely boycott Chinese goods and Chinese investors. Government of India should ask the existing Chinese companies to quit India. Heavy tariff duty and import duties should be imposed on Chinese goods.

Q2) While the PM has been talking about a self- reliant India and there is an anti-China sentiment prevailing in the country- do you think completely boycotting Chinese goods is a feasible option?

Complete boycott of the Chinese goods by Indians is surely a good and viable option for India. In fact, the huge middle class market in India is a huge market base for China for selling its cheap third-rate goods and items. If this market base is taken away from China, its economic foundation would be largely broken. It would create huge economic and financial chaos and upheaval in China.

Q3) If China delays in demarcating the forward line of control – do you think India should be prepared for a military option as well?

If China refuses to demarcate the forward line of control then military option should be an option but only as a final option. India should ask China to hand over the whole of Aksai Chin back to us. In fact India should stake her claims on lands up to Mount Kailash as our land and ask China to hand it over back to India because areas right up to Mount Kailash were always historically and culturally associated with Indian Culture as such India should ask for its return.

Q4) Would you say that the current dispensation has not been able to read China’s real intentions? Did we ignore the aggressive land-grabbing side of China which goes way beyond the shores of Mahabalipuram?

Yes perhaps. As a civilised and peace loving nation, we trusted China expecting it to behave in the same civilised and peace-loving manner. We should have been over cautious after the Doklam issue and also during the aggressive posturing of the PLA in the borders for the land grabbing of Indian lands during the seashore meetings of Mahibalipuram, should have alerted us then.

Q5) The opposition has directly blamed the Modi govt of not being able to stop the Chinese from intruding into our territory to begin with- Rahul and company say that’s the reason for today’s standoff. What would you say about their assessment?

Arguments of the opposition, especially of Shri Rahul Gandhi, in my understanding is extremely childish, illogical and absurd as such. I do not give any credence to it. Mr Rahul Gandhi should first answer as to when the PLA and China grabbed 100 sq kms of our land in the Ladakh area during the UPA rule. Why was the Congress silent then? Why did it hide the facts then? What action did the UPA take against China and the PLA then?!

Q6) Today new satellite images have come up which show how China has been aggressively building infra near Galwan – doesn’t this clearly show China’s intention? What do you think India can do in this scenario?

Yes, the satellite images do prove the real intention of China in the Galwan Valley area. It should be a warning bell for us. We should be diplomatically and militarily be totally prepared for any eventualities in near future from China and the PLA and give it a befitting reply, which China should remember it for centuries.

Q7) Given that almost all proof shows how this attack by China was pre-meditated, do you think India should start aligning with anti-powers China like the US more openly – isn’t it time that India builds a Int’l community to take on China?

Now that it is clear that the recent moves of China and the barbarism attached to it was clearly pre-meditated move of China, India should now more openly and clearly align with USA. In fact, India should form an axis of India-USA- Israel -Australia -Japan -South Korea to take China head on. India should take Russia into confidence. India should now lobby for its entry into NATO and APEC

( SUVROKAMAL DUTTA- a renowned right wing media think tank and foreign policy expert.)