President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to China has caused predictable anxiety among those in India who tend to view relations with Beijing as a zero-sum game with Islamabad. Mr. Zardari has been a frequent flyer to China — three times last year — but this second official visit after October 2008 seems to have caused much apprehension in official India. First, there was China's reported plan to build two more nuclear reactors at Chashma. Then it was a proposed rail link from Kashgar in China's Xinjiang region, across the Karakoram mountains to Havelian in Pakistan's Pakhtunkhwa province (formerly North West Frontier Province). Just for perspective, during Mr. Zardari's five-day visit, the two sides signed six agreements on agriculture, healthcare, justice, media, economy, and technology. Presidents Zardari and Hu Jintao jointly pledged to fight the “three forces” of extremism, terrorism, and separatism. However, there was no official word from China on its nuclear cooperation with Pakistan, although it is definitely on the cards. The rail link is less certain. Envisaged as running parallel to the Karakoram Highway, across the Khunjerab Pass and through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region, the rail idea has been around since 2004; last year, both sides held preliminary talks for carrying out a feasibility study. Islamabad is keen but the extent of Chinese interest in the project is yet unclear. The Karakoram Highway, the highest paved road in the world, built with Chinese assistance, has proved an expensive link to maintain. A railway line would prove far more expensive.
It is true that the relations Pakistan has with China are the best it has with any country in the world. They have withstood the strain of shifting international relations for more than 60 years. However, it is by no means a problem-free friendship. There have been tensions over alleged training camps for separatist Xinjiang militant groups in Pakistan's north-west frontier region. Islamabad felt let down that its “all-weather friend” offered little help during a financial crunch in 2008, forcing it to knock on the doors of the International Monetary Fund. But this friendship has solid foundations, and it is time India recognised that it cannot alter the dynamics of the Pakistan-China relationship to suit its own needs. It would be more useful to focus on ways to improve India's own relations with China, and protect the substantial progress made since 1988. As National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon emphasised during his visit to Beijing, the India-China relationship has its own logic. Linking it with another bilateral relationship, which is driven by its own logic, would be self-defeating.
Keywords: India, China, Pakistan, international relations, trilateral ties, Khunjerab Pass, Pakistan President Zardari
india is an open market for all and ofcourse a big market.at present situation,no country can bring other in bondage as we had to bear with from the Britishers.Today it has changed into economically bondage.It means if one can occupy other"s market it will gain.So if we dont give our enemy countries any room of open market they will understand the value of a big market as ours.
Do you think the Chinese care about Pakistan? It's all one big play hyped to please Pakistan's overinflated ego.
Yes, India should strive for friendly relations with all countries. However, don't forget the following: (1)carry a big stick to deter potential attackers(2) ensure good governance at the State and Central level to ensure that the genuine grievances of the people are addressed and avoid playing the politics of religion and caste(3) ensure that adequate attention is paid to the economy and job creation.
Is a China a God or something?
India needs to implement Statecraft of a high order by pursuing a long pending issue namely, forming a Russia-China-India strategic triad, a platform that can also take in Myanmar and Pakistan in due course and ultimately become an influential global power centre. Unfortunately, India has never had a pragmatic and far-seeing foreign policy since Independence, being content to adopt Nehru's make believe world of his own, far removed from reality. While Pakistan has gone out of its way to develop good relations with all its neighbours, we have fought with every one! This self-damaging positing has to change radically.
Once we form the triad as suggested, it would be much easier for us to resolve our outstanding boundary disputes with China and Pakistan. We have indeed begun on a good wicket by hosting Gen Than Shwe of Myanmar because closing ranks with that country will help us all round. Most importantly, we must not be dictated by Washington in crafting our own doctrine of International Relations and must undo the UPA's surrendering our foreign policy to USA.
India has attained a good strategic vision of International Relations from the last decade esp. with regard to her neighbouring states. Its 'sound economy' diverted the attention of Developed countries to tie with India. What is more when inner strength comes physique also develops. Sion-INDIAN or Indo-Pak relations will be better if India focusses to strengthen the interior network of Development. Simply, it has to reach to the Poor with latest tech. & the tech. available.
apart from the relations between pakistan and china india should make friendly gesture with both countries.It should in such a way that we aren`t in their control but to establish peace.India is the country where poor remains poor and rich as rich.This difference should be well furnished.For this we should mainly concentrate on population suppresion and increase literacy rate.For this there should be devoted work from the ministers of our country.We should maintain friendly relations in trade,peace,success with other countries particularly developed countries like Usa,france,uk. As India is famed for agriculture,we should strive for retain the position. We should adapt the policy that every family should send their one of the child to defence services from china. Now china is developing internally and want exult at once. they know that india is developing in software and agriculture. So the main enemy of china will be india in asia.
Why should India be so concerned about the strong relation between China and Pakistan?
Are we afraid of China or Pakistan?
It always seems that India is inferior to China which is clearly shown the way India is acting upon the border issues.
I think India doesn't have to think of divide and rule..India can never improve its relation with China by putting Pakistan down..
Govt of India should busy itself in the matter of its own state as our country is facing more problems i.e.Jammu.
Indian policy makers must understand the demand of time is to strengthen its international relationships. India has improved its image in last decade in international diplomacy. Indian diplomats must focus to get more powerful access in UN and try to strengthen its claim for Veto power in the Security Council. This will stand us beside China, because in international diplomacy only a power holder shakes hand with power holder.
There are no permanent friends in international politics. Everything is governed by mutual interest. India should pick the particular thing offered by Pakistan and make deal with China. This will help not only local Indians in Jammu area but whole country as such.
China hopes to exploit the natural resources of Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Hence the easy credit and infrastructure support to Pak. Also Pak helps keep India off-balance. That's two birds with one stone for China. However, Pakistan has lost control over its jihadis who may cause problems to China in its Xinhua province when China comes to claim its pound of flesh.
China will always view India as a rival. It's the only country which is big enough to challenge China in Asia. Plus China will never forgive India unless India chases Dalai Llama and all the Tibetan refugees out. Which is an unconscionable thing to do and which India will never do.
Ongoing tussle in Asia for the top spot is on from ages now. And one who makes best open trade policies will actually win this game. India needs to learn lot from its neighbors specially the south east Asian countries.
No doubt with skilled man power and heterogeneous culture India has edge over others. But its insufficient to turn GDP into double digit growth.
I am firm believer that India will realize its true potential soon. And emerge as sought after powerful nation on word map.
I don't agree that Pakistan and China have the best relations.It's all about situations and these days both of them are very close which is not good for India with surrounding threats from two sides.
But we should not panic, rather wait for the right situation and then use politics as a tool to protect us from these countries.
India must approach China with the same impetus that it has with Pakistan. Resolving bilateral issues with the neighbours is paramount and a prerequisite step towards the aim of global power. India's geographycal structure is such, she shares borders of thusands of kilometers with her neighbours. While focusing into stragical importance and for a mutually acceptable resolutions, India must apply her own logic in harnessing the goodwill of China,a larger neighbour with a sturdy economy and an emerging power. China's intention to twine the Arunachalpradesh as an extension of Tibet, a concern though, needs to be addressed with many other issues including trade imbalance. It would do no harm to draw China's attention to the material and financial support offered by Pakistan to the many militant groups. Failures in Afganistan will be a clear premonition to the events that would unfold in South East Asia and China will not be exempted from the fate.
The close relationship between China and Pakistan is well known in the western world.
India should not be anxious because of the excellent relationship China and Pakistan have got.
Six agreements were signed between both countries, this is the best way to support Pakistan´s young democracy.
India shall be interested in a stable Pakistan and everything should be done to support moderate politicians in Pakistan who are interested in peace with India.
Peace and stability will bring tremendous advantages for both countries and China has done the right steps.
China-Pakistan relationship is based on the principle of "Enemy's enemy is a friend" upto an extent.So,instead of concentrating too much on "PakChi" relations as I call them India should try to improve its own relationship with both countries especially by promoting trade and commerce in near term; and as far as border issues are concerned the constructive talks accompanied by time factor will definitely bring positive results.Our ultimate focus should be to establish win-win relations with all particularly with our neighbours.
What you say is right but who is to convince the Chinese to stop playing the Pak card against India.
Sino-Indian relations are quite different now and are improving. Hindi Chine Bhai Bhai was coined by India well before 1962. Now China recognises India's growth potential and market despite periodical blow hot/cold statements.India should take steps in a pragmatic way
whether it is in BRIC/G 20 / Climate change meetings.
Foreign policies of industrialised countries will be dictated by business considerations to a lsrge extent.If some of such countries are queing up to sell military hardware, nuclear power plants etc. to either India or Pakistan, it is more likely to be because of this reason than because of love for either of them or a desire to spite their enemies. One thought it is time our government leaders stopped behaving like adolescents in the international political arena.
China-Pakistan relationship is nothing new, and quality and content of this relationship is well known to India.
Indian policy makers need not spend sleepless nights over something they can not stop, they need to concentrate on counter measures which surely they are doing.
Excellent explanation with relevent logic.
congrats
Strategic vision, anyone?
Forget China and Pakistan. India should not get bogged down by regional rivalry. Instead it should focus on improving the lives of ordinary Indians and bringing the benefits of technology and infrastructure to remote rural areas and poor. Unless we look inwards and improve the internal situation, we should not make claims for global power status of any kind. At present there is tremendous financial assymmetry between the rich and poor in India. The benefits of Industrialization and wealth acquisitions is not reaching the poor. Indian leaders have to re-orient their industrial priorities, taking aways the sops for IT and giving sops to manufacturing and mass-scale employment for poor. High Tech other than IT needs to be invested in, for example Silicon Wafer Manufacturing and Nano-Technology manufacturing. MANUFACTURING is the key word. Unless India has a revolution in MANUFACTURING industry, its poor will always suffer.
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