Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Is China a second ‘East India Company’ for Pakistan?' that was published in Newsband

Is China a second ‘East India Company’ for Pakistan?

China and Pakistan had announced plans for an Economic Corridor, the CPEC, to connect “Kashgar to Gwadar” a year and a half back. The trade route was recently operationalized. Many of the infrastructure and energy projects are part of CPEC. Pakistan sees CPEC as a game changer, but there are many challenges. India will need to be very careful since this project could indirectly affect us.

Many Pakistanis fear whether such a project can be viable. Still many fear that China could be a second ‘East India Company’. They question whether China is seeing dreams of colonizing. China could be having some ulterior motive behind initiating this project. Also there are many security challenges considering the fact that terrorist activities in Pakistan are not something new. Along the route there had been in the past terrorist attacks. Militants ranging from Baloch nationalists to the Taliban and the Islamic State have carried out attacks.

If Pakistan-India tensions do not end then this can pose another danger at the place where Pakistani troops are posted. India had been trying seriously to end all tensions with the neighbour, but Pakistan just doesn’t seem to cooperate. One wonders as to what kind of benefits Pakistan derives from these tensions with India.

Many wonder whether this project has a future at all considering the fact that China has been coming down economically and Pakistan is facing severe political instability. China has been trying to be a tough challenger to US but Americans are too clever for Chinese.  

What is India’s reaction to the project? In the past India’s reaction to the project had turned from dismissal and disdain to disapproval and then to outright opposition. India is more concerned about disputed Gilgit-Baltistan where the projects can pose problems. India has expressed concern related to this at the UN General Assembly.

When China invited India to be the part of One Belt, One Road (OBOR) project and the Maritime Silk Route (MSR), India refused to have anything to do with either in spite of the fact that Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are all connected with OBOR and the MSR. India needs to be cautious here. Delhi should consider the security implications of the China-Pakistan clinch and China’s ambition to float naval base off Gwadar. India just should not lose the domination we possess in the oceans around.