Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'India should become economically strong to win World’s support' that was published in Newsband

India should become economically strong to win World’s support

China’s move to block India’s attempt at the United Nations to ban Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is understandable. It was Azhar along with Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed that provided the leadership for most of the terror attacks launched from Pakistan on India. China on the issue of terrorism

has let India down time and again in the past two years. Since September 2014, China has blocked India five times. Insistence of the United Nations Security Committee on Terrorism on “unanimity” and “anonymity” for all decisions on listing terror entities, allows China to overrule India’s efforts with a “technical hold”.

A series of border incursions by Chinese troops, followed by India’s forging maritime military ties with the U.S. for coordination in the South China Sea, have increased distrust between New Delhi and Beijing. Added to this is China’s renewed closeness to Pakistan, and growing interests in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, making it more difficult for Beijing to hold Pakistan accountable on tricky issues such as terror.

World powers, friendly or not, will not take much notice of India, until and unless India becomes economically strong, like China. That cannot happen if politicians, their associates and top bureaucrats loot the nation themselves and allow their paymasters, the crony capitalists, to plunder the nation, and then most of them hide their wealth in tax havens abroad to invest the loot outside India. Is this not being truly anti-national? Yet these netas in their white finery, with the support of their blind ‘bhakts’ and ‘chamchas’, carry on fooling the citizens, the media (many of whom are nothing but external PR departments of the corrupt political parties), and the judiciary, bleed India dry and invest the ‘stolen wealth’ outside India. Have the Indian media, the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary got what it takes to stand up for their future generations and the country?

Second. India has to grow stronger and self-reliant in defense. Deft diplomacy works where the other party understands the consequences are not worth the risk. In other words, unless risk reward scenario changes for China, they are not likely to listen.

The move to block Azhar exposed the Chinese sham and double standard to the world. It made Indian position stronger and caused diplomatic insult to China. It also brought China's rigidity to the world stage again.

China is going to be victim of its own support for cross border terrorism like what Russia had suffered in Afghanistan for supporting anti-government groups there. But for India it would be wiser to expose China in international forums of its duplicity in acting against terrorism. Even Pakistan itself has been a victim of its own support to terrorists within the country.

GOI needs to implement a two pronged strategy to counter Chinese double speak on terror emanating from Pakistan backed terror outfits. India should work with international partners to bring about a change in International laws vis-a vis terrorism where majority views prevails, say 80 % of the member states if they agree, then the resolution is passed. In such scenarios nefarious designs of countries like China are exposed in an International forum. Second, India needs to firmly tell China that actions such as these are unacceptable and may affect economic ties between the two Asian neighbours.

Against India China has several axe to grind. There is another important factor behind the Chinese decision. They probably had to buy peace with the terror modules to ensure smooth sailing of their so called Pakistan-China economic corridor. China may have to pay dearly someday for siding with internationally acclaimed terror outfit.