Friendly Neighbourhood Chinaman!!!

In early Eighties, I saw my first open theatre movie and it was B&W.  This movie stayed with me for a very long time; in fact it often comes back to my thoughts even today. I am talking about “Haqeeqat”,starring Dharmendra, late Balraj Sahni, made by Chetan Anand. The movie, a brilliant one, was made against the backdrop of 62 Sino-India war. The movie, for the first time, told me that we had faced an invasion, the utter helplessness of our soldiers and the utter apathy of the rulers from this side of the Himalayas. The movie also had a dialogue, “Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai”. This dialogue was not the figment of imagination of the movie makers but of the first Prime Minister of our Country who grossly misunderstood China and overestimated our defense capabilities. Well, he and the country learnt a lesson. Or did we?

So is it another case of Crouching tiger & Hidden Dragon ?

No it is not, the dragon is not at all hidden. It has made its intentions very clear. The dragon is well fed, nourished , equipped. It’s ready to spit fire. BUT the tiger? I am searching for the tiger. Where has it hidden? Guess, the Tiger was always there but its soul has gone into a hiding. It was forced to go into hiding.

Let’s start with a very quick recap of the road to 2011. In 1962, Indian government rather army was not wrong in their estimation of Chinese intentions. The steps of Gen B M Kaul were in the right direction. The Forward policy of the army was also in the right direction but the mis-impression of Nehru about Chinese (Mao Zedong) being his “benevolent bhai” was wrong. Mao proved him wrong. His understanding of the preparations of Indian defence forces was wrongly placed. Indian President Radhakrishnan said that Nehru's government was crude and negligent about preparations. Nehru admitted that Indians had been living in a world of own understanding.

Chinese had their own reasons to suspect Indians. Their suspicions were on three platforms-

·        They suspected India of supporting Tibetian movement. It was wrong. India had already recognized  Tibet as a part of China.

·        They suspected Indian army movements. The forward policy played its role in arousing the doubts but forward policy was not aimed at aggression but maybe had elements to raise doubts in China’s minds.

·        China was always uncomfortable with indian confluence with erstwhile USSR and also the good relations maintained with US.

But the invasion in 1962 was well planned and in view of the prevailing international conditions. The fact that 1962 war started on 20^th October (the day when Cuban missile crisis started) proves this argument. China was assured that both US & USSR will not come to the aid of India and they did not. Though JFK had sent an airplane, on nehru’s request but it went back since China had declared cease fire on 20^th Nov,1962. in hindsight, it was good that US never came to our rescue because in all probability, they still would have been in our country “aiding” us.

1962 have been followed by two more skirmishses or mini wars in 1967 (Chola incident) and 1987 Sum Dorong chu valley in 1987.

So why is the Dragon so repulsive about the Tiger?

Both India & China have gone thorough the same metamorphosis over the years. Both have had a relations going back to centuries thanks to the silk route or the interest of their historians in India. The road to freedom or rather the timing of the freedom has been more or less the same. Yet, they have grown by leaps & bounds whereas we have taken “restrictive” steps ahead.

PRC’s very ethos was based on the platform of global dominance. They have never been very comfortable with the idea of any regional (India; to some extent Japan) or global (US/Russia) challenge. This feeling has further been ignited by a very strong feeling of national pride. A feeling which made them claim and occupy Tibet as a part of the Chinese motherland, same for Taiwan.

The emergence of India and its ethos was based on the, philosophy of Panchsheel &   global brotherhood, NAM etc, as propounded by Nehru. Panchsheel failed India in 1962. Perhaps any global initiative of India has not delivered concrete result. Had it, then we would have got the permanent membership in UNSC. Just an image of being friendly doesn’t help. There is no harm in being friendly but with well toned muscles but I wonder if we have it.

Talking further on the image, has the image of China being “confrontationist, aggressive” worked against their interest? Take a closer look at the world economic trends. China is doing a much better job way far ahead of India. Today Shanghai has emerged as one of the global centre of trade. Which Indian city, in all fairness, can claim, as a alternate to Shanghai? Per haps Mumbai but I feel it is distant poor cousin.

Human beings make a country and a human being’s attitude defines the country’s attitude. Chinese (read their leaders) , by nature, have been aggressive, proud of their heritage and solely believe in the concept of nation above else. We Indians, thanks to our founding father or first Prime Minister have traversed a different route altogether. A route aiming at international affiliation over nation.

Has the situation changed? Where is both the country placed today? A quick glance

After almost the same years of independence,

• China’s GDP is more than triple of India. (can not be disputed)
• Their foreign exchange reserve is more than triple of India (can not be disputed)
• Their military expenditures is more than triple of India (can not be disputed)

China, a communist nation, suspects India s anti-communist. They have an agenda to make their presence felt in Asia and the entire world. The route known to them is aggression & confrontation and the best part is that they don’t shy away from it.They have progressed by leaps & bounds.  

It will be a fool hardy on the part of todays’ present Government to neglect or ignore China’s intentions. A recent attack on our bunkers was just a small example. There are major ones. While India has not made any effort to make its presence stronger in the sub continent, here is what Chine has done.

I won’t waste space by talking of their relations with Pakistan. One liner is sufficient. Pakistan enjoys uncompromising patronage & support of China in all its ideas & demands (including Kashmir). Nor would I waste time on their warning to India to stop oil exploration in the south china waters (offered to us by Vietnam). But what about other countries in the sub continent -

Burma –

·        China has been supplying Burma with jet fighters, armored vehiclesand naval vessels. They have trained Burmese army, air force and naval personnel.

·        Access to Burma's ports and naval installations provide China with strategic influence in the Bay of Bengal, in the wider Indian Ocean region and in Southeast

·        China has developed a deep-water port on Kyaukpyu in the Bay of Bengal.

·        It has also built an 85-metre jetty, naval facilities and major electronic intelligence systems on the Great Coco Island,  located 18 kilometres from India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, giving China capabilities to monitor India's military activities, including missile tests.

·        China assists in constructing a naval base in Sittwe, a strategically important sea port close to eastern India's largest city and port, Kolkata.

·        Beijing also funds road construction linking Yangon and Sittwe, providing the shortest route to the Indian Ocean from southern China.

Bangladesh

·        The  Bangladesh Army has been equipped with Chinese tanks, its navy has Chinese frigates and missile boats and the Bangladesh Air Force flies Chinese fighter jets. I

·        in 2002, China and Bangladesh signed a “Defence Cooperation Agreement” which covers military training and defence production.

·        Dhaka is one of the major emerging buyers of Chinese warfare technology&  products.

·        Dhaka has built their maiden anti ship missile launch pad at Chittagong with compete aid of China. They have carried out a test (single as of now) with Chinese assistance.

·        They have successfully test fired their anti ship missile based on Chinese technology. It can go upto 120 kms.

·        As per reports, Osman built completely on Chinese technology & assistance can hit upto 42 km to 120 km. How far is Kolkata from Dhaka?

Sri Lanka

·        Sri Lanka’s military has inked several significant defence agreements with China.

·         China is supplying modern radar and large quantities of ammunition, to the Lankans.

We sent IPKF to Sri Lanka, our soldiers died but to what avail. Did we utilize our IPKF initiative? The congress government and its foreign policy makers has to answer.

China began a massive military exercise called “Stride 2009,” deploying 50,000 troops in areas far from their home bases for live-fire drills. It proved effectiveness of China’s infrastructure, which allows the quick deployment of troops hundreds of miles away.

China’s former leader Deng Xiaoping had signed an agreement with India that both countries would maintain a standstill in the Himalayas and avoid military build-up. The promise held until 1998, when China began improving its military infrastructure in the Himalayas and building multiple missile bases. But it did not increase its ground forces, which stood at 200,000 soldiers. And now China is building two divisions in high altitude war fare.

How well is the Tiger prepared?

Yes India has indeed improved its defense preparedness. There is a much major improvement since 1962 but yet A LOT remains to be desired. The defence spending has to go up. As of now ministry of Defence is “against” spending Rs.12000 crore to set up Mountain Strike Corps (which is of utmost importance to us). The roads and other infrastructure has a lot to be done but ministry of environment is against creation of all weather route from Siliguti to N.Sikkim citing ecological reasons! These are few of many missing initiatives on our part to further strengthen the nation’s defense against its “biggest enemy”.

An Army truck trying to squeeze through on very narrow road leading to Khardung La (ref – www.military photos.net)

Yes today we have nuclear bombs thanks to the NDA government (which was fiercely condemned by the Chinese), we have a significant arsenal of land to air & air to air missiles but questions is do we have the guts to use it if, god forbids, situation demands. NDA government had the guts of calling China as its biggest worst enemy. Sometimes these statement show our no nonsense attitude but the present government has been too lacking in its initiatives. The fact that China bombs our bunkers is worse but worst is the complete lack of any statement by out present Defense Minister, forget his visiting the bunkers.

Post 1963, Mao made a famous statement that “The way to world conquest lies through Havana, Accra, and Calcutta”. This statement in itself show their attitude but hope the government has not forgotten that Calcutta is in our country.

I sign off by reiterating that Chinaman, like the Spiderman, is weaving its web around us and before it gets too late, the Tiger , led by THE SINGH, should start tearing off the web. As I said attitude matters, look at the photograph below. Doesn’t the body language of the chine guy represent their attitude. Jai Hind!