The recent invitation extended by Bangladesh to India, requesting their participation in the China-led South Asian initiative to combat Covid-19 and overcome poverty is causing a ripple effect. The initiative incorporates the establishment of the China-South Asian Countries Emergency Supplies Reserve and a Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Centre set up within China.
China-South Asian Initiative: Outline and Membership
The China-South Asian initiative engages several nations such as China, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. However, India, Bhutan, and the Maldives, all SAARC nations, are not currently part of this initiative. The vision of this initiative from China’s perspective is to enhance relations with each South Asian nation individually, addressing strategic, maritime, political, and ideological interests, in an effort to create a balance against India’s influence.
India maintains a passive stand towards this initiative due to the ongoing tension on the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and the ensuing issues with Chinese PLA aggression. India asserts that progress in other bilateral relations is impossible without resolving this conflict.
Associated Issues – A Move to Undermine India?
Many perceive this initiative as a strategic move by China to contain and undermine India’s influence in South Asia. There are a few arguments that support this notion:
1. The Minus-India Initiative: The fact that the initiative includes all SAARC nations apart from India, Bhutan, and Maldives has led observers to suggest this could be a “Minus India” initiative.
2. Diluting India’s Role in South Asia: As India becomes increasingly hesitant to revive SAARC and pivots its focus towards BIMSTEC, another regional bloc, China is extending its influence in the region.
3. Countering Quad: Some believe that this China-led bloc is an attempt to create a northern Himalayan Quad to counter the US-led Quad, which includes India as an active member.
India’s Initiatives for South Asia
In line with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and seeing itself as the net security provider in the region, India has prioritized providing Covid-19 vaccines to its neighbours since early 2021. It has also been aiding in the training of health workers in these nations and assisting in setting up infrastructure required for administering vaccines.
In an effort towards economic sustainability, India has, along with Japan and Australia, officially launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI). This is aimed at reducing dependency on China due to potential restructuring of supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite these strategic and humanitarian steps, India still finds it challenging to match China’s pace of large-scale investments in nations like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Maldives.
Securing India’s Position: The Way Forward
The existing scenario brings attention to several key areas India needs to address:
1. Establishing a Border Commission: With the demarcation of Indian external boundaries still incomplete, there is a need for a resolution to border disputes. The formation of a border commission would be a crucial step in achieving regional stability.
2. Broader Lens of Foreign Policy Goals: India needs to address the challenge of integrating its regional economic and foreign policy without compromising bilateral relationships for short-term economic interests.
3. Improving Regional Connectivity: Fostering regional connectivity while addressing security concerns is another important task. This can be achieved through reliable technological measures widely used around the globe.
4. Implementing Gujral’s Doctrine: Adhering to the principles of the Gujral Doctrine would ensure that India’s stature cannot be isolated from the quality of its relationships with its neighbours, bringing mutual growth and development.
While China’s South Asian initiative is an interesting development, it should not deter India from prioritizing and strategizing for a stronger South Asia. The focus should be on regional progress that goes hand in hand with maintaining healthy international relations.
