India's 70: Are we paying a price for our democracy!

70 years of independence is a major milestone in a nation's history. India has gone through tremendous chirling and churning for the last 70 years of its democracy that has stood the test of times. This year as we are proud of our heritage, history, harmony, homogeneity, and heightened sense of our achievements in the world today, we need to introspect our failures and strategize our future course of action. We truly have miles to go..'.

Independence was a painful journey that got with it death, destruction, migration, division, sacrifices and so much more. But what blossomed was a nation that we could call ours. India was a big territorial entity that assimilated itself inspite of its diversity and demography. We pledged to live under the same constitution despite myriad identities. No where in the world can one find such exemplary and unique sense of unity in diversity as INDIA has. This is what makes us different from others.

The India of today is being considered a strong voice not just in the South Asia region but the entire world as once again since the time of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. India is playing a major role in regional as well as on the international stage. Indian diplomacy has taken a new shape and is heading towards greater participation with nations friendly and not so friendly. Other countries have started looking up to India as a partner and a leader in development, prosperity, security and commerce. India was the only country that suffered the least effect of Recession of 2008 when the whole world was reeling under it. Our upward trajectory on the graph of global recognition and respect has made world nations look up to us for not just assistance in times of need or calamity but also as a guide and facilitator country for solving bilateral and multilateral issues. We have taken over the world stage.

Although India's achievements in last 70 years have been glorious in terms of space explorations, scientific advancements, defense technology, data analytics, anti terrorism, we have plummeted in human index. A nations progress and development is measured in terms of the happiness quotient of its people. 3 years back people of India elected Bhartiya Janta Party to power with a unprecedented majority sending the grand old party Congress with its frontal alliance UPA home for its under performance, policy paralysis, corruption, crimes and scandals. People were fed up with misrule, nepotism, governance failure and non accountability at all levels. 3 years after, where do we stand? The high point of this government are GDP has gone up, corruption has halted, inflation is under control, digitization has plugged holes, poor have bank accounts, demonetization accounted black money, aggressive anti terror posture, youth inclusivity, stern messaging to China & Pakistan. Biggest achievement of BJP government has been the passing of GST bill that stands to benefit the people by bringing the country under one taxation regime. Other missions like Swatcch Bharat, Make in India, Skill India, Stand Up India, Start Up India, Digital India do have the potential of carving a bright future for India if followed in letter and spirit.

The intention of Prime Minister looks good but is it really translating! The 3 years have also seen rich becoming richer with the seemingly pro capitalist approach of Prime Minister Modi. Hundreds of government schemes launched for the welfare of people, some old wine in a new bottle, have realistically not seeped to the bottom last.The farmers are still committing suicide, natural calamities are still killing hundreds every year, midday meals are still poisoning children, naxalites are still ruling the killing fields, women are still being raped and violated. Just recently nothing more horrific as the chilling deaths of 60 children in a Gorakhpur government hospital can be a better example of the callousness and insensitive approach of government hospitals in the country. Will our leaders be really concerned?

The darkest spot of Modi government has been the new trend of cow vigilantism that has taken over the physical and mental space of society perpetrating communalism of a different kind. This is not just hurting but destroying the very fabric of secular India causing an irreparable harm to India's multicultural identity. When former Vice President Ansari, before demitting office articulates the feelings of his community saying muslims are feeling insecure, should it be taken in the light of politics or as a mirror of present reality in the background of many a brutal and unmindful lynching taken place lately. The fear of violation of the right to life permeates despite the constitutional safeguard that all citizens of our country have a right to. Law being taken by unsocial elements in their hand in the name of cow protection or for that matter as Love Jihad or Romeo Squads or Ghar Wapsi, does not forebode good for the nation. Surely this is not what we asked for. Across the borders and oceans too it sends out wrong signals about the country's health. 

India exemplifies the most robust and vibrant democracies in the whole world. Majoritarianism is the antithesis of democracy. Unfortunately we have seen the scuttling of opposition in a historical fashion. Absence of healthy criticism in the form of opponents facilitates fear of dwindling democracy. Media as a pillar too has lost its teeth and claws and looks subservient to the powers that be.

These are apart the issues that we as Indians have learnt to live with...of unemployment, poverty, security, health, education, increasing crime rate, etc etc. If in 70 years of independence from foreign rule we have not been able to educate every child, provide health care to every citizen, ensure law and order, employment opportunities, right to life, belief and religion then we have failed.

Have we truly evolved?  At 70 should we be instructed by someone how to show respect to our national anthem and flag! Should after 70 years we have to be told by others what we should eat and what wear!   

Given that there cannot be a magic wand in the government's hand, 3 years is a long time for promises to be redeemed. More than economics it is the society that measures up the success of the governments in power. Countries that boost of good governance and stand up in human development index have a more stable prosperity matrix. Let us not be categorized Xenophobic, racial, emerging religious apartheid by the so called opinion makers. India has survived the worst in the form of emergency. We have had towering leaders to lead us. Our great country has the resilience to bounce back in all times. BJP lead NDA government came to power with huge promises and a mirage of Acche Din and Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. We are yet to see both come true despite how the rest two years unfold.         

The problems and opportunities are as huge as our country is. We wait for your promises to be fulfilled Mr Prime Minister. Its not just about politics, India is much more than that.

The Great Power Autism of China (An Analysis)

China’s intentions of creating territorial tensions and conflicts in the neighborhood far and near has left the world in a tizzy. Its coercive adamancy in South China Sea, its inimical designs for Japan and South Korea vis a vis North, antagonistic overtures to India and tiny nations of South Asia directly and indirectly including playing with Nepal’s fears of Indian aggression, its fomenting Pakistan’s anti India adventures, its Tibet and Taiwan ownership, are all but few signs of a nation’s hegemonistic nausea.   

India China have reached a point of serious war mongering on Doklam trijunction with both sides refusing to withdraw after 70 days of standoff in a more than eyeball to eyeball confrontation.  If we listen to what China says we need to vacate the Doklam area which belongs to them as against Bhutanese claims. Doklam, or as the Chinese call it Donglang, is the trijunction on Bhutan-India-China border. In the OBOR outreach China was caught on the wrong foot constructing road across the Bhutanese border that is of high strategic value for India giving it an edge at peeping at our chicken neck juncture.  

Although there’s nothing new in both India and China flexing their muscles over territorial issues, China's ambitious initiative of One Belt One Road, a multilayered project aimed at far reaching imperialistic designs smartly crafted is germane to it. Its impressive economics are equally justifiable.

Emboldened by its belligerent advances in the South China sea and a fairly successful One China Policy, China assumed its unhindered passage through Bhutanese territory would have been a cake walk. At stake Bhutanese and Indian strategic and security interests, the retaliation by India in terms of troops build up in Doklam was a blow to Chinese grand design of engulfing the South Asian region bit by bit.

Its not just the matter of India being in pact with Bhutan over being a security guarantor, our concern articulates a larger hemisphere of the challenge it poses to India's sovereignty. Incidentally events like these take years to finally come to resolve. And considering the fact that the Chinese Congress is due later half of this year the stand off will be taking longer. Ineluctably domestic politics is something that no nation can overlook. Historically Wangdung in the eastern sector took 1986 to 1992 to be resolved. Sumdrochung stand-off continued for nearly a decade before there was an agreed mutual withdrawal. Ever since Tibet in 1960 it was always a militarized relationship between the two Asian giants although since Sikkim integration this kind of public spatting has not been seen like the present one on Doklam. 

    

The Chinese chose to change the status quo this year when the season came. So why did they do

it? Ostensibly there's no legal argument that they are pursuing on where the trijunction is, neither is there any possibility of a huge military gain for them right now. They are also well aware of India’s hefty presence with a fair amount of dominance, so there has to be some other gain. 

Interestingly China is a nation in a hurry. Its vision of being at the top emanates from its obsessed nationalism and its history of colonialism. The fous et origen of China's expansionist misadventures mirrors its sense of insecurity and so as a policy, nationalism thus becomes a crucial element in legitimizing Communist party rule.

The sloganeering of 'China Dream' by Xi leverages Chinese nationalism directly to the nation’s economic prosperity and globalization. Be it OBOR, One China Policy, South China Sea or China Dream, all are manifestations of the same simmering aspiration. BRI other than connectivity, is anchored in China's domestic as well as foreign policy. Additionally it also addresses the problem of overcapacity of its domestic market giving Beijing a seamless opportunity to spread its political influence along with global dominance aggressively.

China suffers from what Luttwak, a US strategy Expert, called ‘Great Power Autism’, as analysts rightly put it. Something that leaves the power insensitive to others concerns, which is what is happening to Chinese diplomacy. The hurry to become 'the' world power, (which it will be in future with the collapsing west), can be attributed to the fact of the expediency of its rise, accumulation of much hard power and its ascendency to power on the international stage. Characteristically Chinese are also apprehensive because they are not used to it and so not sure of it. Their moment of strategic opportunities, for them is 'now' when their relative power is probably the highest, maybe the highest it will be. Multiple factors like demography, their apprehension of a strategic push back, the power’s non feasibility, that they might grow old before they grow rich, ecology, the fear of not being able to sustain what they have achieved so far, how will their society absorb it, then where do they go, seem to be a cause of anxious worry to them. What they have achieved in such a short span of time is incredible and also the reason of their arrogance. The logical outcome then will be counterbalancing.

Again media plays a major role in propagating political decisions and building up phony war rhetoric. In China like in all communist countries media is not free. Everything in China is official and have their assigned functions. Global times is like their pitbull, to make sure that China news gets everywhere with big noises. People’s Daily and Zinhua articulate what is being told by the parties to their cadres and so more realistic. What has changed is Chinese signaling has shifted. They have realized the larger utility of creating noise to the people and social media has played a pivotal role in this direction. The one constant is the psychological pressure tactics used by them on other countries to fulfill their agenda. Noticeably Doklam standoff has been no issue for Chinese media including their social media. It’s the US North Korea engagements thats sending jitters to the press and people.  

As per Defense sources China will not risk an all-out war in the Doklam area as it is well aware of its disadvantageous position at Sikkim Bhutan China trijunction. As a policy by needling in Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh and Barahoti in Himachal it is ratchting up pressure to unilaterally withdraw. By standing by Thimpu in the case of Chinese interception India has been successful in sending a terse message across. Seen in the larger context it is this challenge of authority that is irking China. On home turf China is in a churn. Politically President Jingping is to face the 19^th Congress to establish himself and consolidate power, economically China is not doing too well and militarily its undergoing the greatest reformation and are not in a state of readiness to fight a war. Xi on the other hand has pitched himself to his as people as someone who positions himself with Trump. As opposed to Trump he has vouched for globalization and climate change, taken firm stands on SCS and OBOR to impress upon his constituency. Internationally China is under great pressure from US to bring North Korea under control with whom China has immense trade relations. US threatens sanctions on China if it does not make Pyongyang fall in line. China is already messed up in South China Sea.   

As for Bhutan China relations China does not have an embassy in Thimpu which China is trying hard for negotiating bilateral issues. Chinese have to dish out 250 dollars in advance to enter Bhutan as opposed to free entry of Indians in the Himalayan state. But Bhutan is well aware that once China comes into Bhutan will not be the same.

Despite China having made so much noise on Doklam, India chose to stay away from the bellicose rhetoric. Refusing to playing in their hands India’s quiet diplomacy worked to our advantage not just in passive support of India from powers like US and Japan but it also helped in reigning in worsening of the war mongering accompanied with media flare ups. Our restrained reaction kept the Chinese guessing too, blunting their war of perception to comatose.

Doklam standoff is here to stay, say Defence sources, as technically no trijunction issues with China are in a condition of resolution till the entire LAC of 4,057 km is sorted out. India’s in a commanding position in this 89 sq kilometer area and China is testing us to buckle in. Neither did President Xi Jingping mention Doklam in his address on August 1 nor did PM Modi talk of it in his ID day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort. It would be a long haul before the forces finally withdraw, as history teaches us.   

Surely the India of 1962 is not the same as China of 1962.