India has successfully drawn a redline against China’s land grabbing”, says Pushan Das of Observer Research Foundation on the Doklam standoff to Akriti Bhatia of Jan Ki Baat.
India and China have always been at loggerheads with each other and Doklam recently escalated the problems. Be it the trade or the boundary dispute, China has always tried to dominate India in every term. The latest Chinese statements are talking of Indian troops’ disengagement from the border while the Chinese still guarding the region. But this puts the ball in the Chinese court to start a peaceful relation.
Jan Ki Baat founding partner Akriti Bhatia discussed the issue with Pushan Das, editor of Defence Primer and programme coordinator at Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
Q1. How do you rate the MEA on handling the Doklam crisis?
I give them a good 9/10 score.
Q2. How do you analyse the whole issue in 1-2 words?
‘Predictably bad’.
Q3. Comment on the response of government on Doklam.
We have successfully drawn a Red Line that next time China does such a thing, we are going to stop them. Also, we have countered China where they were trying to show India as an unreliable partner. We have neglected the idea of China being the Unipolar power.
Q4. What does this disengagement of troops actually mean for India-China?
This basically means that we will scale back the number of people facing each other to reduce tensions in the region. And by aiding Bhutan, we have projected the idea that we are the next security provider. Chinese mouth piece- Global times have come out with tweets and reports saying that China will continue its actions in favour of its sovereignty.
Q5. What could be the role of Pakistan? Will Pak-China relations create a proxy war situation against India?
In such a condition, it is clear that Pak-China will come to the aid of one another. So, the armed forces are prepared for such contingencies.
Q6. How can you give a brief of the Doklam Crisis?
There’s always been a problem at the trijunction between India, Bhutan and China. On June 16, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) started building a road in the Doklam plateau. The Bhutanese army tried to stop them on the basis that the Chinese will not change the Status quo of any disputed region. The Chinese unheard the Bhutanese, and so the Indian army stepped in the aid of Bhutan dissuading any further construction by the Chinese.
Q7. What are the economic implications of these political tensions?
If we boycott China, definitely India has more to lose in the shorter and medium term.
A story by Akriti Bhatia (Founding Partner- Jan Ki Baat)
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