Over the past several weeks, Gwadar, Balochistan has witnessed a surge of protests sparked by discontent over mammoth development schemes as an element of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The primary apprehension amongst protesters is the fear of being marginalized in the development processes slated for the port city. Allegations have been made by Pakistan suggesting that India is fueling these demonstrations.
Understanding Balochistan
Balochistan is one of Pakistan’s four provinces and is its largest in terms of land mass. Despite its size, it is sparsely populated, with the majority of its inhabitants being ethnic Baloch people, also found in Iran and Afghanistan. A resource-rich province, Balochistan is abundant in natural gas and oil, making it a crucial region for Pakistan.
The Uprising in Balochistan
The historical context of Balochistan’s political climate is to be traced back to the British departure from the Indian subcontinent. Three alternatives were offered to the Kingdom of Balochistan: joining India or Pakistan, or remaining independent. Opting for independence, Balochistan functioned as a sovereign entity for approximately a year until Pakistan seized control in 1948. However, the lack of development accompanied by human rights abuses by Pakistani military forces and terror groups has stoked an insurgency in Balochistan since 1948. Pakistan has repeatedly implicated India in supporting the rebels through arms supply and intelligence sharing.
India’s Stance on Balochistan
India has traditionally refrained from interfering in Pakistan’s internal matters. Even as Pakistan persistently raised the Kashmir conflict, India remained reticent on the subject of Balochistan. In 2016, however, following Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations themed around Kashmir’s independence, India reacted by drawing attention to the plight of the Baloch people.
Understanding the CPEC and India’s Concerns
The CPEC is a bilateral project between China and Pakistan, aiming to connect China’s western region (Xinjiang province) with Balochistan’s Gwadar Port through the Khunjerab Pass in Northern Pakistan. The project, which includes development of highways, railways, pipelines, and other infrastructure facilities, intends to bolster connectivity across Pakistan. China can then access the Middle East and Africa via Gwadar Port, granting it entry into the Indian Ocean.
CPEC is part of the greater Belt and Road Initiative that seeks to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Gulf region, Africa, and Europe through an extensive network of land and sea routes.
The Indian Perspective: Issues of Sovereignty and Dual Purpose
India has raised several concerns regarding the CPEC. Primarily, there are sovereignty issues as some infrastructure being developed by Chinese for Pakistan traverses through the disputed region of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), which India claims as its own territory.
An additional concern revolves around the dual-use nature of Gwadar Port. Besides being developed as a trade hub, it will serve the Chinese Navy, giving China strategic access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. This is seen as a part of the ‘String of Pearls’ theory where China is developing modern ports along the Indian Ocean, such as in Gwadar (Pakistan), Chittagong (Bangladesh), Kyauk Phru (Myanmar) and Hambantota (Sri Lanka). This strategic positioning poses a threat to India, intending to establish Chinese dominance in the Indian Ocean.
