India Gaining Resilience over China

China’s Expansionism -

China has always carried imperialistic ambitions since it gained independence in 1949. This implies
that China has always wanted to create big empires by conquering other state’s lands and increase
its own dominance across the world. Historically, China has tried extending its rule on East
Turkestan, Aksai Chin (J&K), Buddhist controlled Tibet, Portuguese colony Macau, British Colony
Hong Kong, and Arunachal Pradesh which Chinese call as South Tibet. It always had some border
disputes with its neighbours and other countries, claiming a part to be their own land without
exhibiting much facts and starts to bully. Economically, China offers larger imports than exports to
the countries so that tomorrow if any of them does not repay their debts, China can take over their
assets in large amounts called as a “Debt trap”.

Currently, there has been severe military aggression at Sino-Indian Himalayan border as Chinese saw
a threat to themselves in the steady improvement of borderland infrastructure and India’s rising
claims on disputed territory. This led to severe loss of the lives of our Indian soldiers at the border.
This invasion of China has erupted the retaliatory sentiments amongst the citizens of India across the
length and breadth of the nation. The citizens are preparing to retaliate China’s aggression by
boycotting the Chinese products and restricting fresh investments from coming into India. They
believe that India must now take steps to reduce the dependency over Chinese cheaply available
products and start manufacturing in India. The “Make in India” campaign under the leadership of
Modi government will push India to move closer to Self-Reliance!

Is China Concerned for India?

 As far as Indo-China trade Imbalance is concerned, India is one of the China’s smaller trading
partners since India accounts for only 2.1% of Chinese trade while US tops the list at 13.7%
followed by Japan at 7.1%, South Korea at 6.8%, Hong Kong at 6.7% and Germany at 4% .
India mostly exports raw materials to China but India imports high value or value added
goods from China. Hence, China might be less concerned about their products being
boycotted in India.
 The Covid-19 pandemic and the recent skirmishes at Indo-China border have compelled the
countries across the world to rethink their strategic deals and drift away from China and
gradually reduce their dependency on it. Seeing the Chinese aggression, they look forward
to reform their strategical alliances to eventually change their favoured destination from
China to somewhere else. Intriguingly, China has disengaged their forces from the border
and pretending to have peace talks with India.
 Irrespective of how trivial might be the trade balance of India and China, China will definitely
feel the pain since India has achieved significant progress in the last few decades and is now
amongst the favoured destinations in the emerging markets that attracts foreign investment
from across the world with immensely improved feasibility of doing business in India.
China’s Global Expression of Interest:

 China is increasing its investments in Indian start-ups by pumping in billions of dollars and
acquiring a significant stake in companies. They are getting deeply embedded in India's eco-
system to create monopoly in the nation.
 With the exponential growing wealth of the rising middle class in China and its millionaires,
this imperialistic country has expressed its interest in agriculture sector, real estate, and
infrastructure projects by significantly increasing its investments all over the world like
Australia, US, India, etc.
 Iran and China are close to finalizing a 25 year strategic partnership. It will include Chinese
involvement in Chabahar duty free zone, an oil refinery nearby and a larger role in Chabahar
port as well. Conspiringly, we also hear that Iran has recently dropped India from Chabahar
rail project citing funding delays.
 Suppression of fundamental rights of Hong Kong citizens that may bring anti-Chinese
coalition further because the protests in favour of Hong Kong have spread across the
globe through rallies in UK, France, US, Canada and Australia.
 China restricts foreign access to Tibet especially US diplomats, journalists, tourists in
Tibet and in return US imposed travel restrictions on Chinese officials as they enjoy free
access to all areas of US.

But, what are the alternatives for India:

 China is competitive in manufacturing business hence retaliation might hurt export

sentiments in India. Over dependence on China in multiple sectors has limited our
production capabilities. Hence, either we can make in India or import better technology
from outside to make better products to be able to trade easily and compete globally.
 Increasing feasibility of investments platform in India can allow domestic companies to
manufacture products as a substitute to what is currently being imported from China.
 Ramping up capacity building will give economic leverage to India in terms of increased cash
flows and returns. Let’s say, 20% more production in every sector will bring down the costs,
improve quality of products and we can eventually become more competitive.
Infrastructural development will be needed to aid capacity- building across sectors.
 India can strategically ally with US, Australia, UK and Vietnam to improve relations and fetch
more foreign investment inflows to give boost to our economy to put economic pressure on
China. India can endorse western brands and ask them to set up their brands in India.

To Conclude:

We all must follow the “Kaizen way” which means to start taking small steps and restrict ourselves
from buying Chinese products as much as possible and go for Indian products or other foreign
products and should stay focused on staying away. This is the time we must exhibit our nationalism
and move closer to self – reliance, because it is either NOW OR NEVER!!!